When Alex returns to Brecon Beacons
by the-means-of-procrastinating
Summary: What if Alex returned to Brecon after a handful of missions as 16? He is going through selection but all the others drop out and as the only one left he is partnered with k unit for the last bit. How will they get along two years later? Will they even recognise him? Then what happens when Ben turns up and forces Alex to tell them everything?
1. 90 percenters

**Please tell me what you think at the end... Thought of it over Christmas dinner so slightly strange.**

* * *

Alex groaned as he pulled himself up onto the shelf of rock the signified the halfway point of the exercise, as he watched he saw Rat put his foot on a piece of moss.

"Rat!" He exclaimed but the damage was done, the tall man slipped and his feet left the ground. He clung onto the rock but due to the wonderful welsh weather the ground was wet, his fingers slipped. Alex grabbed his wrist but the momentum he had drove him into the sheer rock face they had just climbed, Alex was grabbed from behind and slowly they were pulled to safety.

"That's it." Rat gasped out as Alex tended to his injuries,

"You'll be fine, a cracked rib or two and some lacerations but that's all." Alex informed him,

"Aren't I the medic?" Cheetah teased as he clambered up the last few metres.

"Well he almost came down for a check up just now so I thought I'd wait for you to come to him, you know, like an on call doctor." Alex teased as Cheetah checked him over.

"As usual you are right." Cheetah ruffled his hair,

"That's it, I'm out." Rat gasped,

"No, don't!" The final member, the one who had grabbed Alex, gasped.

"Fowl, I can't do it. You have seen me struggling for weeks. As leader you must have seen it." Rat sat up slowly and pulled out his emergency call button. It was a small weather resistant square with two buttons on it, one red, one green. Red called out mountain rescue, green the SAS. He nodded to the rest of his unit.

"It's been a pleasure being a member of this unit, but I was never going to make it through selection." Rat sighed and pressed the button. Thirty minutes later a truck pulled up.

"90 percenter?" Sir called out,

"Yes sir, and three cracked ribs with some nasty lacerations along with severe bruising." Cheetah replied helping his, now ex, team mate to his feet.

"There is a RV point two hours away on foot. You can all pull out now and repeat this at a later date due to injury or you can complete it now." Sir stated flatly,

"Go on. See you in the infirmary." Rat told them. Then was whisked away in the truck.

"Let's get going." Fowl told them glumly.

"Poor sod." Cheetah sighed,

"You lead Jaguar." Fowl ordered, Alex took the lead and they trudged on in silence. Not an hour after they had left the heavens opened and the Brecon Beacons suddenly turned into a quagmire.

"Hey!" A shout made them look up. Above them on the hill was another training SAS group, they too were one man down, as they watched Peacock took a wrong footing and slipped, somehow pulling the other two down with them. They travelled at speed towards the other unit then collided. Alex's world went black.

* * *

"You know, when you said you'd see us in the infirmary Rat, I doubt this was what you meant." Alex mumbled when he woke, a low chuckle went around the room.

"No, but the company's nice." Rat laughed as Alex sat up, head pounding.

"Lovely concussion you have there Jag." Cheetah added from a neighbouring bed. They were in a room with eight beds, all occupied.

"Ah you're awake." Dr Manning came into the room,

"Yes sir." Alex replied as the doctor checked his vitals,

"Any nausea, tiredness, dizziness?"

"Nope." Alex replied shrugging.

"Nearly done doctor?" The colonel was standing in the doorway,

"Momentarily colonel." The doctor straightened, "You know the drill." He told Alex,

"Yes."

"Good, follow it this time." The doctor scolded.

"I'll try to sir." Alex mumbled,

"All yours colonel Sanders." Manning left the room.

"Now, you all know you are the last two units in this selection. Due to four drop outs today your two units are being merged." The colonel paced the room. "You will be discharged tomorrow and your training will continue. Understood?"

"Yes sir." All eight chorused, he left the room. Leaving four unhappy SAS prospectives and four ashamed ex SAS perspectives. It was soon discovered that the four leaving had good reason, broken bones among them. There were three broken legs and one arm from the tumble Peacock had caused, and many sprains and fractures, and concussions.

"It'll be a god unit, Bear as the leader, Cheetah as the medic, Jaguar as the communication and Hawk as tactics." Fowl told them speaking wholly truthfully. But that was not to be.

* * *

Wolf woke up grumpy rolling out of his bunk and frowning at the still empty bunk across from him,

"Up and at 'em." He barked waking Eagle and Snake who pulled on clothes then headed to the mess. They hadn't gone ten feet before a soldier stopped them,

"Sanders wants to see you sirs." He stated before sprinting off. Grumbling they headed to the command hut. Wolf knocked apprehensively,

"Enter!" A voice called, he didn't sound angry, just disgruntled.

"Sir, you asked to see us?" Wolf stated as Snake shut the door.

"You must have heard about our recent intake of recruits." Sanders put down his pen and clasped his hands,

"No sir, we only got back yesterday." Wolf replied,

"Well five months ago we took in the usual twenty applicants. After one month we were down to sixteen and they gradually demised. Last week we were down to eight, yesterday four and now due to the storms we are dealing with high winds and resultantly six broken bones and four concussions and many fractures. The truck they were in flipped. Jaguar managed to pull his unconscious team mates to safety then passed out himself. Not after carrying them to a concrete building sheltered from the elements nearly three miles away." K unit were confused, where was this going,

"Now we have three more 90 percenters and one remaining member. Jaguar." Sanders frowned,

"With all due respect sir, how does this concern us?" Snake asked slowly.

"You need a fourth unit member, Fox has been gone three years and you can't keep new members long." Sanders commented pointedly, Wolf shifted uncomfortably, they couldn't stand his temper so left. "He has one month of training left and you need rest and recuperation time. Train him and he will complete your unit." Sanders looked back to his desk then glanced up, "He is in the infirmary." They recognised the dismissal.

"We have to train someone!" Eagle squeaked as they headed towards the infirmary.

"If it means a new comm man I am OK with it." Snake commented,

"He must be good otherwise he would be told to repeat next time, happened before." Wolf sighed, "I don't want to be saddled with a recruit who thinks he's amazing."

"I don't want to be saddled with a recruit full stop." Eagled muttered.

"Be that as it may we have been. Let's go meet him." Snake stopped the argument and approached the doctor.

"Where is Jaguars room?" He asked,

"This way."

* * *

**OK. What do you think? And do you think K unit should recognise him? Can go either way...**


	2. long time no see

**Slightly longer ( Who am I kidding, a lot longer). Enjoy...**

* * *

Snake knocked and opened the door, inside were four beds with one occupant. He was pale and drawn but no casts as far as the medic could see and only cuts and bruises. Snake noticed the faint alarm that crossed his face when they had come in, he decided not to mention it.

"Excuse me." A voice came from behind them, k unit moved aside and let three men pass, two in a wheelchair and one with a crutch.

"Hey Jag, who's the visitors?" The one with the crutches asked helping another onto the beds,

"No idea, come on Hawk, up you go." He helped the final man onto the bed,

"We are your new unit." Wolf growled, annoyed at being dismissed so easily.

"I thought we were the last recruits." Hawk stated confused,

"You are, though a sorry sight, what happened?!" Eagle exclaimed, Wolf stood on his foot,

"Truck flipped in the wind. Hawk and Bear were on the side it rested on, Jag and I on the other. We searched for shelter." The man on crutches explained,

"Wait, that's not what we were told. We were told that you were all unconscious apart from Jaguar and then he carried you to a concrete bunker three miles away." Wolf's words were met with silence then Jaguar and the man who had told them what had happened burst out laughing,

"Chee I can't believe they believed that!" Jaguar gasped out wincing as his ribs protested. K unit were stumped.

"Explain." Wolf demanded,

"You're bastards, the lot of you. Taking advantage of concussion and unconsciousness." Hawk grumbled, Bear was fighting a smile.

"The truck flipped and we got them out, Cheetah and I had seen a concrete building a little way back so we helped the others to regain consciousness and helped them to the hut." Jaguar explained,

"They were heavily concussed so don't remember any of that, while we waited for back up we told them that Jag had single handedly carried them a good three miles to save their lives. We were in our check ups when sir came, they must have told them the story we told them." Cheetah spoke trying his hardest not to laugh.

"And they believed that!" Snake raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Jag does strange things, he has an inability to leave others behind, no matter what the costs sure if we had told them I had saved them they would have laughed and asked for the real story." Cheetah explained shrugging then wincing,

"I wouldn't!" Jaguar exclaimed seeing him shrug, "It'll hurt." He finished lamely. Cheetah rolled his eyes.

"He also seems to have been on the receiving end of almost every injury known to man, he knows if an action will hurt with an injury. But him being in your unit now means that you will be able to see for yourselves. Though I have a favour to ask." Bear stated, Snake watched as Alex shrank back into his pillows glaring lightly at his old unit leader. The glare was familiar, Snake shook himself and tuned back into the conversation.

"-Ever find out how old he is, please tell me." Bear was finishing, they all turned and looked at Jaguar who, it had to be agreed, didn't look nearly as old enough. Until you saw his eyes, they had seen too much.

"Your car is here." A nurse appeared around the door and went to help Hawk into his chair, Jaguar went to Bear and helped him back into the wheelchair,

"Jaguar, you shouldn't be doing that." The nurse sighed watching them,

"I'll stop soon." He promised, not specifying when or agreeing. Snake smirked, there was someone who knew how to dodge authority. K unit followed the recruits out the infirmary and to the waiting car by the exit.

"Good luck Jag, you can do it." Bear clapped him on the shoulder and the door shut him out.

"You get em Jaguar." Hawk smiled then he too was gone. Snake got the feeling the farewell with Cheetah was going to be harder than the others. He couldn't hear what was said but Jaguar was laughing then Cheetah too, he slid in the car and raised a hand in farewell then the car was gone.

"Jaguar. Come to our hut." Wolf ordered.

"I'll help him get his things, I don't know what your injuries are but you were just in the infirmary so until you enlighten me I will help you." Snake stopped his objection,

"Besides, you don't know what unit we are or where our hut is." Eagle added, Jaguar bit his tongue,

"True. This way." Alex led the way back to the hut he had been staying in and gathered his stuff.

"This way." Eagle opened the door,

"You play cards?" Snake asked randomly,

"Yes." Jaguar replied with a small smile, he remembered the card games from last time.

"Poker?" Eagle checked, he smirked,

"I have played it in the past." Jaguar replied slowly,

"He either means he is shit or is going to beat us hands down." Snake commented,

"Well you have covered all bases there Snake." Jaguar laughed,

"How did you know my name?" Snake demanded alarmed,

"It's on your dog tags and that's what he called you." Jaguar pointed at Eagle.

"Well, I'm Snake the unit medic, that there is Eagle, tactician, don't ever give him sugar, and the grumpy bastard is Wolf, leader and weapons expert, that means you are comms." Snake summarised,

"Yes sir." Jaguar replied,

"Here we go." Eagle opened the door and threw his stuff unceremoniously on the bed in the far corner, Wolf glowered at him from across the room.

"I am going to make something clear Jaguar before we go any further." Wolf announced standing, "I don't want to be a teacher to a recruit I only want a new member of our unit so we are complete again, if you don't perform up to standard I will not hesitate you have you binned, then at least a slot will be open for another member, non recruit." He was pacing now, Snake glanced at Jaguar expecting to see him cowering in fear, like most the others had, but he was looking at their leader un fazed, he seemed to be fighting a small smile. Wolf's rant was over.

"Now. Medically how are you?" Snake asked. He was then shocked by the sheer knowledge of injuries he had and the fact that he was still going strong. He found out their newest member had concussion, three broken ribs, two fracture and a sprained wrist. The other bruises and cuts he could mainly see. Snake couldn't see his arms but was unsurprised, it wasn't exactly warm in here. He would see the full extent when they swam.

"You have four weeks of training left. You start tomorrow, over the next few days we will judge where you are and hit on your weaknesses." Wolf announced. "Welcome to hell kid." Jaguar didn't seem surprised by the nickname, he rolled his eyes and had a little smile that would have spoken many things, had he been a psychiatrist. He watched as Jaguar pulled out a photo frame, the kind that unfolded and had many photos inside. There was one of two adults and a baby, one of a different two adults and a young teen then one of another set of adults and two teens, then one of four teens by themselves. It was Jaguar in the three with the teens but he wasn't sure about the baby. He caught Jaguar's eyes one him and glanced away.

"Anyone for cards?" Snake called,

"Poker!" Wolf demanded at the same time as Eagle, "You in kid?"

"Sure." Jaguar clambered over to the rest of them. The stakes were nuts. By the end of the game Jaguar had lost spectacularly, Eagle had been forced out the game because of cheating and Wolf was losing to Snake,

"How about a spot of rummy?" Wolf asked after losing for the third time,

"That's a great idea." Jaguar laughed,

"I'm in." Eagle agreed, Snake dealt the cards.

Three hours, fourteen games later six cushions had been thrown at Jaguar, Eagle had come last consistently and Snake and Wolf were fighting for second. Jaguar had won every time, he was no longer an outsider either, he had been accepted into the unit. This had been sealed by Wolf throwing the first pillow at him after winning in the first round.

"Next time its poker." Snake announced as they finished the last game, "As for now, bed I believe." He cleared the cards and ushered Jaguar into bed under 'doctors orders'.

"Snake, you're an SAS medic..." Jaguar stated pointedly.

"Go to bed Jag." Snake replied ruffling his hair,

"Why does everyone feel the need to ruffle my hair!" He exclaimed,

"Because." Wolf ruffled it smirking, "You are obviously illegal."

"How so?" Jaguar asked amused,

"Kid, you're a kid. The minimum age is eighteen and generally that's unheard of, normally early twenties." Wolf ruffled his hair and Jaguar slapped his hands and glared playfully at him. Wolf chuckled and slipped in between his sheets,

"Night _kid_."

Snake was lying in his bed staring at the ceiling when he heard a murmur,

"Better than double oh nothing I guess." The speaker then rolled over, Snake shook his head and forgot about it.

* * *

"Target, shoot." Wolf told Jaguar mockingly, he picked up a gun and aimed. It was the third test of the day, they had started with morning exercises, then they had had him strip down a clean a gun. A test he had completed with an ease that unsettled them. He blocked out the rest of the room and aimed. He fired five times in quick succession. The put the gun down and reeled the target in,

"Kid move." Eagle sighed as Jaguar was stood in front of the target. When their newest member failed to move Eagle moved him forcefully out the way. Then his jaw dropped.

"Jesus kid." Eagle breathed. The black dot that was the bulls eyes was obliterated. Each shot had been directly onto of the other.

"Again." Wolf demanded, Eagle sent a new target out. "Break between shots. Fire." Jaguar fired, "Look at me." He turned, "I want to see if it was luck or you have a still hand so they all landed in the same place. Fire." He explained his purpose. Jaguar fired. This continued three more times, then the target was brought in. Again they were all onto of each other. Eagle frowned,

"I want to know if you can aim well." Wolf watched as their tactician whispered something in Jaguar's ear. He laughed then nodded, they both glanced at Wolf,

"We'll see." Jaguar nodded then turned back to the range.

"Hey, how's it going?" Snake appeared, "Shit." He saw the targets.

"I know." Wolf agreed grimly. "So?"

"I can't get his file." Snake frowned, Wolf opened his mouth to reply but Snake had laughed. The target had come back in with a smiley face shot onto it.

"I think he can aim." Eagle commented, Wolf snorted,

"I'll say." Eagle and Jaguar high-fived.

"We made you laugh." Eagle exclaimed.

"Next range." Wolf growled. They moved over to the next range. Snake noticed Jaguar pale, what little of his file he had received had displayed a lack of talent in shooting people.

"Just do your best." Snake reassured him, Jaguar slowly picked up a weapon and faced the target, "Hey." Snake touched his arm, the eyes that met his were that of a scared child. "It's OK. If it helps I am shit at this. I heal people, you talk to people. We are not cut out to be good shots. Just do your best." Jaguar nodded slowly and Snake saw a little fear leave his eyes. It was almost as though he had needed the permission to be bad at something. Five shots later the target was in and Wolf frowned,

"What happened kid?" He asked, the shots were all over the place, Snake was examining the target trying to work out why the arrangement of holes was so familiar.

"Snake? What's up?" Eagle asked noticing their team mates silence.

"I don't know." Snake frowned. They left him to his thoughts and fired again.

"Well at least its consistent." Wolf acknowledged putting another target over the one Snake was studying. "You'd give them a hell of a headache." He tapped the hole by his head.

"They wouldn't be able to run." Eagle tapped the hole in the leg. Snake gasped everything clicking into place.

"How...!" He gasped looking at Jaguar who shifted uncomfortably. "That's amazing!"

"What is?!" Wolf exclaimed,

"Wait. Jag, shoot again, I'll be back in a second." He ran off,

"What the fuck was that about?" Eagle exclaimed,

"No clue, Jaguar, again." Wolf ordered. Eagle watched confused as to why Snake had vanished. By the time Jaguar was done shooting Snake was running towards them carrying a tube. The tube turned out to be a diagram of the human body. "These," He pointed to certain places on the diagram, "Are all the places you can hit that will leave you incapacitated, from a medical basis." He pulled Jaguars targets next to his diagram. "Look similar?"

"The shots are all where a person will be medically incapacitated." Snake stated,

"That's... Jesus kid." Wolf blew out his cheeks.

"How did you know that?" Snake asked,

"I have a friend going through med school. I helped her out every now and again." Jaguar replied, his eyes had darkened at that statement.

"Do we teach him not to, or do we leave it?" Wolf asked generally.

"Ask Henderson." Eagle nodded to the range instructor. Hearing his name the man ran over,

"What's wrong?" He demanded,

"Sir, we have an issue." They showed him the target and diagrams and explained the issue. He seemed to chew on his answer before spitting it out.

"Both. Teach him to hit the targets like he should, but let him keep the ability to do that. It's impressive can't deny it. Can I borrow these targets?" He rolled up Jaguars targets. "Good luck." He jogged off to another group that was entering.

"Jaguar, try and hit the targets." Wolf stated sending another target down the range. Ten minutes later it was clear the usual teaching methods were not going to work,

"Wolf. Go, Eagle you too. Let me try." Snake cut in the conversation about aiming. "Go." Snake repeated when Wolf looked annoyed, "Come back in ten minutes, if he hasn't changed you can yell at him all you like. Now go." They left the range grumbling to themselves, Jaguar rubbed his eyes suddenly weary,

"Kid, come on, think of it as a test. You don't ever have to shoot someone like this, your other method will work perfectly well but you need to be able to do this to be in the SAS. I hate the idea of killing someone as much as the next but you _need_ to do this." His voice was firm but gentle. Jaguar nodded slowly and took aim. He fired and the target came back. He was grazing the inner ring, Snake smiled.

"Good. Keep in mind that you never have to do this and it is perfectly OK to be average at this, you don't need to be the best, we aren't training you to be an assassin." Snake had thought he had been doing OK with the speech but at the comment about assassins his eyes had darkened again. Snake frowned, "We are not turning you into an assassin, that is the exact opposite of the idea. We are here to clean up after '6 fuck up."

"Which they do _a lot_." Jaguar smirked,

"That's better. Imagine you are fixing a fuck up by '6." Snake didn't know how he knew much about MI6 but it seemed to be the right route to go down, when being rude about them anyway. This time the target was better. Snake had an idea. He grabbed a marker pen off the teaching boards and pulled a target towards him.

"Buttons to stop '6 fucking up." He spoke as he wrote then drew arrows to the targets, Jag had chuckled at that. This time they were almost bulls eyes, one perfect the rest skirting it. Snake laughed and ruffled his hair,

"Now we are talking. Imagine that on every target." Wolf was appearing.

"Right kid. Show us what you have learnt then it's lunch." He ordered,

"Remember." Snake smiled at him, Jaguar aimed and shot. There was a handful of bulls eyes and the rest near misses.

"Well done." Wolf sounded grudgingly impressed. He led them to lunch chatting among themselves,

"How did you do it?" Wolf murmured to Snake who frowned,

"I told him three main things, one imagine if he shot this was the last time '6 would fuck up, that worked, he had too much knowledge of MI6 fuck ups. I told him we weren't trying to turn him into an assassin and that he only had to do this to pass, after that his methods would more than suffice. The big one though, I think he needs this, I told him it was OK to fail. I don't think he has heard that much." Snake replied, Wolfs frown matched Snake's.

"That doesn't sound good." He grabbed his tray and watched as slop was put on it,

"Jag!" The cook exclaimed smiling at him,

"Hey Gary. How the food?" Jaguar replied ignoring the shocked glances of his team mates,

"Shit as usual. Here." He handed him an apple along with the tray of slop.

"See you." They headed to the table.

"He has an apple!" Eagle squeaked.

"Yes well done, you learnt the fruits!" Jaguar replied condescendingly. Snake tried to subtly grab the apple but Jaguar slapped his hand and slipped the apple in his pocket.

"Eat up." Wolf growled glaring at Jaguar who studiously ate his food. As they were leaving the side door of the kitchen opened and Gary appeared again,

"Hey Jaguar!" He called, Jaguar spun and caught the chocolate thrown to him, "Lucy says hi!"

"Say hi back and to Harry as well." Jaguar called back Gary nodded and retreated back to the kitchen laughing as he saw Jaguar open the chocolate bar and the three other units eyeing him up.

"You know, we are doing the assault course now, you can't take that with you, do you want me to carry it?" Eagle offered smiling.

"Um, no, I think I can manage to eat it before we get there. Thanks for the offer." He threw a piece of chocolate in the air and Eagle tackled him, Jaguar wriggled out of the grip and ran off Eagle following close behind. Snake laughed as Wolf sighed.

"I'm going to kill that bloody Jaguar." He growled,

"He's a child and besides. If you do we won't get any more chances at chocolate." Snake commented, "He's fitting in better than any of the others, he has been with is less than a day and he's like Fox was. If more playful." Snake sighed, "Come on, race you." Wolf had sprinted off before Snake had finished speaking. Cursing him he chased after them.

"Eagle, you have volunteered to go first!" Wolf announced arriving at the assault course not even out of breath, followed closely by Snake, "As you have the slowest time out of us three yours can be the one he has to beat. Kid, watch closely. You're up next." Eagle jogged to the start. Snake watched as Jaguar seemed to assess the course, he had done it before but not with a real unit.

"Fourteen fifty nine." Wolf announced as Eagle reached them. "Fastest yet." Jaguar jogged over to the start line, then started. Snake watched shocked. His moves were fluid and performed with ease,

"Fuck you." Eagle breathed,

"As I live and breathe, bullshit." Wolf came back to earth with a thump.

"Thirteen two." Snake told Jaguar who blinked in shock,

"And he slipped. That's almost the record." Eagle looked ready to burst.

"I go, Snake goes, you go again, if you don't knock time off that you're binned understand?" Wolf growled,

"Yes sir." Jaguar was still shocked,

"Surely you have done it that fast before." Snake checked,

"No, my best was thirteen thirty. Guess watching Eagle helped." He shrugged, Wolf was at the start, Snake pressed start as their leader went. He kept an eye on Jaguar watching his almost absorb everything Wolf was doing, more so than he had with Eagle. It was as though he now had a purpose. Wolf completed it in thirteen ten, he was angry then remembered that if he helped Jaguar their unit could beat the records. It still stung to be beaten by an illegal recruit. Snake managed it in fourteen twelve then Jaguar went again.

"Thirteen flat. We'll do it again tomorrow morning and evening. Now self defence." Wolf stated.

* * *

By the end of the week Jaguar's time was down to twelve thirty, ten seconds off the record for SAS, eleven off the record for SO. He could shoot human targets bulls eyes as well as rings and his instinctive firing was unmatched. That coupled with his defence skills and age concerned the other three but any doubts were cast aside by the easy going sarcastic man that was a member of their unit. Snake was the closest to him but he was tackled twice daily for his chocolate by Eagle and affectionately called 'kid' by Wolf. They all still felt the need to ruffle his hair.

"Swimming today." Eagle grumbled pulling the blankets off Jaguar who reflexively curled up, where his top rode up it revealed an impressive bruise, Snake whistled low,

"That's quite a bruise there Jag." He commented off hand.

"Comes for daily tackles from Eagle." Jaguar kicked him in the leg.

"Come on. Swim then breakfast." Wolf clapped his hands to get them moving. Jaguar pulled on his clothes and got his towel and new clothes ready for the shower when he returned, the others had done the same. They trudged down to the lake and waited at the edge,

"Eagle and me first, then Jag and Snake, OK join when we are at the bouy? It's a race, take it seriously." Snake led Jaguar to the viewing platform and they stood jumping to get the circulation going. Snake heard Jaguar humming to himself,

"Puff the magic dragon?" He smirked at Jaguar,

"I'm a dragon, look." The other man blew out his breath visible. Snake laughed understanding the reason for the children's song now.

"Wolf's winning." Jaguar announced looking at them.

"They're almost at the halfway point, lets go." They clambered down to the edge and stripped down to swimming trunks and tops. As they appeared around the other side they pulled their tops off and dived in powering through the water. Snake smiled as he raced Jaguar, he was good and strong at swimming, they had been paired together because Wolf and Eagle were even, Snake was better at swimming. In the last few metres Snake pulled away from Jaguar and won. Eagle held a hand out for Jaguar and pulled him out, he shook his head to get rid of some of the water and pulled a top on. They then ran back to the hut, then to the showers. Snake watched confused as Jaguar grabbed his things, he was sure he had been scars on his body but couldn't be sure.

"Coming?" Wolf called, Snake shook himself and followed them to the showers.

"That's more like it." Wolf smiled as the hot water hit his shoulders. Eagle sighed as he was drenched, Snake dropped the soap he was holding. Wolf noticed and followed his line of sight, Eagle noticed the silence,

"Hey, what are yo-" He broke off with a strangled gasp. Jaguar turned around and realised they were all looking at him. He frowned confused then seemed to realise something. His eyes widened and his paled dramatically. Before the others were coherent enough to stop him he had vanished.

"He-" Wolf couldn't form a sentence.

"They were scars." Eagle breathed.

"We need to talk to him." Snake summarised.

"Back in a minute." Wolf pulled his clothes back on without drying himself and marched to the hut glad no one was awake to see what he was about to do and that it wasn't that far to the showers from his hut. Eagle appeared at his side, Snake stayed behind. They barged into the hut and before he could react Eagle had grabbed his arms and Wolf his legs. They manhandled him back to the showers where Snake barred the door. They dumped him unceremoniously on the floor then the three of them formed a line and crossed their arms. It would have been funny in any other situation.

"Hey, nice to see you to." Jaguar gasped out winded.

"We decided you weren't quite done with your shower." Wolf summarised, "Now explain what happened to you."

"They're just scars. I was in a car accident." He shrugged getting to his feet,

"Jag, I was in a car accident and this is all I got from it." Snake lifted his hair and showed a nasty looking scar. "Either strip and retain your dignity, or we will do it for you."

"I don't have much dignity left." Jaguar muttered,

"Well then." He was grabbed by three men and stripped down to his trousers. He was lying on his back on the floors of the SAS showers. They had taken his dignity.

"Jaguar. Tell me that's not a bullet wound above your heart." Snake said quietly.

"It's not." They all sighed in relief. "It's two centimetres above my heart."

"That is a fucking assassins bullet wound. Who gave it to you and where they _hell_ are they." Wolf looked ready to punch anyone who came within ten metres of Jaguar.

"Answer the fucking question Jaguar." Eagle growled, Jaguar stood and resumed his shower careful not to show them his back.

"What's on your back?" Snake noticed the care taken to stop them seeing. Jaguar backed against a wall. Snake grabbed his shoulder and gently, but forcefully, turned him over. There was a thud as Wolf punched a wall. Then Jaguar continued his shower. They let the subject drop until they reached their hut. After a blazing argument Wolf stood and turned on him.

"We are trying our fucking best to help you Jaguar, just tell us what the fuck happened to you!" He bellowed,

"Ah, bad time?!" A new voice asked, everyone gasped and turned to him, Jaguar leapt off his bed and ran to the new comer,

"BEN! When did you get here!"

"Hey Al, just now, what's happening?" He replied ruffling his hair,

"You as well, _really_." Jaguar groaned.

"Fox?" Wolf gasped shocked.

"Hey, long time no see."

* * *

**Sorry, Ben is one of my favourite characters and I don't think Alex would tell k unit anything if he wasn't forced by Ben so hope you like Ben too.**


	3. Guardian? - Me

**Enjoy and please review at the end!**

* * *

After Fox was tackled to the ground and pummelled in punishment for him vanishing on them, and after he had explained that, no he hadn't been binned he had been seconded, they were all sat on their respective bunks and silence fell.

"What did I interrupt?" Ben asked to break the silence,

"Jaguar here was just about to tell us why he is a patchwork quilt of scars and injuries." Wolf replied raising an eyebrow. Alex resisted the urge to rub his bullet and stab wound with his hand, it ached, a reminder of the gruelling training that was selection. Ben noticed Alex's hand twitch and his eyes narrowed, since Malagosto he could sit still for hours without moving.

"Jaguar was just about to remind you that it is breakfast." He slipped out the hut the rest following resignedly,

"How do you know him?" Wolf asked Ben as they sat at their table, Ben glanced at Alex and saw the plead in his eyes,

"Family friend." Ben lied smoothly. Alex fought back the urge to laugh, Ben _was_ his family, he pushed the food around on his plate then sighed quietly,

"You need to eat." Snake nudged him,

"I'm just not hungry." Alex replied standing and leaving the mess. Snake frowned,

"Fox," He called, but the spy was already gone, Snake smirked, "Family friend my arse." He muttered before tuning back into the light banter between the rest of his unit.

"Al." Ben called quietly as he entered the hut,

"I'm fine." Was the curt response,

"That statement alone leaves me knowing that you are not. You never bring attention to your state unless you can't avoid it." Ben replied sitting next to him, "Talk to me Al, please." He slipped an arm around Alex's shoulder but Alex flinched and practically ran out the hut, Ben was still frowning when k unit appeared.

"Come on Fox, assault course here we come." Wolf announced, he stood slowly and grabbed what he would need then headed to the door, Snake grabbed his wrist.

"You aren't a family friend, are you." Snake asked drawing the attention of the other three. Ben's silence spoke for him. "He's Cub isn't he." Despite all his spy training he couldn't help his eyes flicking up to Snake's face, that was nothing compared to the reaction from the other two,

"He's _what_?" Wolf seethed,

"Cub. Double oh nothing. Kid. Brat. Son of a rich dad who wanted to get rid of him. Take your pick. God knows you did last time." Alex's flat emotionless voice said from the doorway, "We're going to be late." Snake noticed the drawn look around his eyes.

"Jag, you OK?" He asked,

"Fine." He vanished.

"He's not." Snake muttered,

"No. But if he's not telling, short of giving him a full physical, which still may not work, you will never find out." Ben told them flatly,

"You speak as though from experience." Snake remarked, Ben smirked,

"That's because I am." They headed down to the the assault course where Alex was waiting, Ben nudged his with his shoulder, "Race you." He murmured, Alex's eyes flicked up to his relief shown in them,

"You're on."

"GO!" The Sargent in charge barked, the five sprinted off. It was clear watching that the two spies were more nimble and quick on their feet, because of this they were the best, Alex out stripping Ben easily near the end despite slipping on one of the walls and hitting his head hard. Alex collapsed on the floor smiling,

"You held back on me." Ben gasped out.

"Maybe." Alex replied,

"Jaguar," Ben warned,

"Fox." Alex replied in the same tone.

"You were slower than normal." Wolf announced dropping beside them,

"He held back so I could keep up." Ben grumbled as Eagle arrived closely followed by Snake.

"So, did the lack of running it change anything?" Eagle asked Fox.

"Nope. I had forgotten quite how bad it was." Ben sighed closing his eyes and missing Alex rub the area just above his hip wincing,

"Off your backsides you lazy scallywags!" The Sargent bellowed, they all stood groaning and jogged over to him. "Your times were not bad, but not amazing either. Go again." He ordered, they jogged to the start,

"Jag, you OK? You look a little pale." Snake asked as they waited for the signal to go.

"I'm fine, just slipped last time." He brushed it off rubbing the patch by his hip again,

"I saw that, it looked quite hard." Ben commented off hand, everyone was looking at Jaguar now,

"Lets see." Snake reached for him,

"Oh I don't think so." Ben grabbed him as he tried to escape and held him still. He winced as the medic probed the side of his head,

"It's too close to your temple for my liking." He murmured,

"What do you think this is?! A mothers meeting! Move!" The Sargent bellowed, they had all been too engrossed in Jaguar to notice the starting signal. Alex slipped out of Snakes grip and they ran the course again. At the end of it was a fuming Sargent.

"What was that back there?" He demanded, Snake reappeared and continued his medical examination of Jaguar, the Sarge noticed this and backed off a little noticing the kid was a little pale and less talkative than usual. "What happened?"

"Jaguar slipped and hit his head pretty hard sir, we wanted to make sure there was going to be no problem." Fox replied quickly,

"You have five minutes until you are needed at the firing range." He marched off.

"You are going to the infirmary." Snake tugged Alex's arm, he paled further,

"No." He exclaimed, "I'm fine, honestly." Snake glanced at Ben looking for his opinion,

"I think you should go Jag. But to be honest I don't think we could get him 100 metres away from the infirmary without half of us needing to visit as well. Unless of course he was unconscious." Ben replied shrugging, after seeing the scars covering his body this morning Wolf looked as though having him unconscious wouldn't be such a bad thing at all. It would at least give them a chance to interrogate Fox.

"Don't even think about it Wolf." The two spies called over their shoulders in unison. He growled annoyed his plans had been that obvious.

"You hold him down, I'll medically render him unconscious. How's that sound? While we're at it we can examine his scars." Snake stated as though he was commenting on the weather.

"Perfect Snake. Perfect." Wolf sighed knowing it would never happen. Especially with Ben there as well. How did the kid, who was Cub a fact he still couldn't get his head around, know Ben?

* * *

Ben woke and was instantly on alert, he glances around and finally saw what had woken him. Alex. He was tangled in his blankets and in the middle of a nightmare. He crouched by his cot and ran a hand through the teens hair,

"Hey Alex, it's Ben, shh." Slowly Alex calmed, Ben kept running his hand though the teens hair until he was perfectly still again and no longer having a nightmare. He gently fixed his blankets then slipped back into his bed. He sat watching Alex worrying about him. On Ben's request they hadn't pestered him for more information about his scars and the fact he was Cub, but Ben could clearly see something was affecting him. He hadn't eaten a full meal since Ben had arrived and, according to Snake, he had been loosing his appetite before that.

Then there was the bang to the head three days ago and the fact he kept rubbing the spot above his hip as though in pain. He had slowed in practice and was obviously tired, and it wasn't just Selection exhaustion, it ran deeper than that.

Three hours later Alex slipped out of the hut after waking from another nightmare and slowly made his way to the showers. He lifted his top wincing as he went then glanced down, he winced again, this time for an altogether other reason. The spot that he had been rubbing was red and angry, it was swollen and also showed signs of bruising. It had slowly been going this way since the accident, made worse when k unit had seen his scars. He then probed his head and sighed, that injury hadn't gone down either, despite what he had told Snake. He dried himself then steeled himself for another day of training. Breakfast then hand to hand combat. Joys.

He approached the hut as the others were heading to the showers, he gently brushed by Ben who got the hint and turned to the others,

"Forgot my towel. See you in a minute." he called, the rest mumbled responses then Ben and Alex were alone in the hut. "What's up?" He asked frowning, the boy said nothing simply stepped into Ben's embrace. The older man just held him soundlessly understanding.

At the showers Snake cursed then sighed,

"Towel?" Wolf called,

"You could have told me." He muttered,

"But where would the fun be in that?" Eagle teased,

"And we can see what kind of relationship Fox and Jag have when we are not there." Wolf added, Snake rolled his eyes then jogged back to the hut. He slipped inside and stopped dead.

The moment wasn't exactly intimate it was just not meant to be witnessed. He picked up his towel and left neither noticing he was even there.

"So?" Wolf prompted, Snake sighed,

"Nothing, Jaguars reading Fox is searching fruitlessly for his towel." Snake lied, feeling he owed them that much for interruption their hug. He didn't know why but he felt like there was more behind that than just meeting occasionally.

"Why fruitlessly?" Eagle picked up,

"We hid it yesterday, remember? Jags idea." Snake reminded them.

"Under the table right?" Fox's voice came back amused.

"Yes." The three mumbled, Wolf included,

"Come on, breakfast." He hurried them along, they left their towels to dry then headed to the mess Jaguar meeting them and joking with Eagle,

"How is he?" Snake murmured eyeing their youngest team member, Fox frowned, worry clear on his face,

"I thought someone came in." He commented off hand, "I don't know. He's always been good at hiding his emotions, but he doesn't normally outwardly do something like that."

"He doesn't normally go, I need a human emotion and the feel of being loved." Snake guessed,

"Yes. Normally I read the signs and know when he really needs something, to know if he is hurt I watch him move, like he is now." They watched him,

"How do you tell?" Snake queried not seeing a change,

"The slight favouritism of the left side, the limp and the smiles not quite reaching his eyes. I can't tell what is wrong though, some is just Selection exhaustion, but others." Ben sighed, "After what he has been through I don't want anything else to hurt him." Snake glanced at him curiously,

"You speak as though a parent." He commented pointedly, Ben laughed slightly,

"My hair would be grey is he was my son, also I am not old enough, nor he young enough." Even taking his real age into account, Ben added mentally.

"Brother?" Snake asked, the hesitation was answer enough, "No way!"

"Yes, no way, he's not my biological brother..." The spy groaned, "It's hard to explain."

"OK, what about the 'after what he has been through'?" Snake realised he wasn't getting much more on that topic.

"One day, after selection, I will get him to tell you everything. Just not before, he doesn't need any more stress than what he already has." Ben replied,

"True, I remember selection." Snake sighed, "Bad times."

"Isn't the saying 'good times'?" Ben chuckled,

"What about selection is good?"

"Finishing." Three other voices joined Ben's as they sat at the table in the mess.

"True." Snake conceded.

"You need to eat." Now four voices told Jaguar seeing him playing with his food.

"Didn't your mother every tell you not to play with your food?" Wolf teased,

"Or that breakfast is the most important meal of the day?" Eagle added,

"No." Ben stiffened as Alex looked up faint amusement in his face, "Never."

"Weren't very good parents then were they?" Eagle sighed, "My mum never let me leave the table until I had finished every meal."

"My uncle did that, whenever he was home." Alex put in, the unit absorbed this little piece of information on the secretive Jaguar.

"Uncle? Why not parent?" Snake asked casually,

"I stayed with him a bit whenever my parents were away." Jaguar replied smoothly,

"If I had to stay with my uncle I would have gone mad." Eagle shuddered, "He was crazy and lived in the middle of no where."

"Mine was OK. But he had three children all about a decade younger than me so that would have been... interesting." Snake tried to make the youngest member feel at home, it was the same game they had played numerous times, you tell me something I'll tell you my version of it.

"My uncle was... unique." Ben stated smirking, Alex wore a matching smirk, they had met. "Never stopped drinking coffee so was on a permanent caffeine high."

"My grandma was like that, just with tea. Died of too high levels of iron in her blood." Wolf stated shrugging, "Don't have an uncle so substituted. Three single aunts, no uncles."

"Move your lazy..." The Sargent's bellow was drowned out by scraping chair and thundering of feet,

"Hand to hand." Alex muttered. "Yay."

"Do I detect a hint of sarcasm there my dear Jaguar?" Snake smiled,

"Just a touch." Alex put his finger about a centimetre apart to emphasise his point. They jogged to the combat area and pulled out the mats to line the floor. Each movement sent jolt of pain through Alex's body.

"Fox, Wolf, you're up!" The overseeing captain ordered. The two got on the mats.

"Sir!" A soldier ran up to the captain,

"Yes?" He barked,

"Sargent wants to see you right away." He ran off, the Captain sighed,

"Snake, you referee." He thrust the clipboard into his hands and ran off.

"Go." Snake ordered. The fight lasted about five minutes, Ben eventually winning. The SAS taught one type of defence, in MI6 all fighting styles became blended, therefore Ben had the upper hand.

"Eagle, Jag, you're up." Snake declared,

"I'm going to die." Eagle whined,

"No you're not." Wolf clapped him on the back,

"He's right. You're going to be annihilated." Ben agreed.

"Go." The two started fighting, a few minutes in Snake frowned, "Jag has usually beaten all of us by this point."

"He's favouring his left side." Ben agreed, just as Snake went to stop the fight to do a medical examination Eagles leg hit the left side of Jaguar body, he dropped like a stone.

"Jaguar!" The four watching exclaimed, Snake quickly took his vitals as Ben lifted his top to see what he had been favouring. Loud swearing drew attention to that area. It was clearly swollen and inflamed, blood was flowing sluggishly from the wound and all around it was red and bruised, Fox gently scooped him up into his arms then took off towards the infirmary, the rest of his unit following closely, they reached the white building and burst in,

"What happened?!" The nurse on duty exclaimed, then doctor rushed out and led Fox to a bed where he gently laid down his charge,

"We were sparring, I hit a tender spot and he dropped." Eagle sounded on the verge of tears, he was wringing his hands so hard they were red. The doctor lifted up the top and probed the injury, he then barked out some medical orders the nurse quickly followed, within minutes an IV drip had been set up, the doctor ushered them out.

"The drip is to help the swelling go down. I can't do much until then but I can quite safely say that is going to need surgery. For that I need a parental signature." The doctor told them,

"I'll go tell Sarge." Eagle stated,

"But surely that means he is not an adult." Snake put in.

"I don't have a complete file, his age and contact detail amongst others, are blanked out. You go in there, look at that boy and tell me he honestly he looks like an adult." The doctor retorted, they all glanced at the figure on the bed.

"He doesn't." They all agreed,

"Now, parental agreement?" The doctor reminded them, Ben bit his lip as Eagle headed to the door then sighed,

"Eagle, wait." They all turned to him, Ben decided to put everything out there. "He doesn't have any parents." He stated,

"What!" Three voices exclaimed,

"Guardian?" The doctor asked Ben specifically. He shrugged hopelessly,

"You." Snake breathed,

"You're looking at him." Ben confirmed.

* * *

**Please tell me what you think...**


	4. I'm sixteen now

**Two in a day, jeepers creepers. Anyways, ENJOY!**

* * *

When Wolf and Fox had returned from the Sargent's office to tell him what had happened they headed into the teens medical room. Fox was sat on the bed at Alex's feet and the three other SAS agents faced him.

"Start explaining." Wolf ordered,

"What decent self respecting parents would send their child here in the first place? Rich or poor?" Ben asked flatly. This rendered the others into silence for a moment,

"None. So he has been an orphan since he first came here?" Snake asked,

"Much longer than that." Ben muttered, Wolf was looking ill.

"All the jokes I made about his parents." He blanched then braced himself on the wall trying to calm his breathing. "He must hate me."

"I don't." A weak voice said behind them,

"Jaguar!" Three voices exclaimed, Ben simply turned and put his feet up on the bed facing him.

"You young man have a lot of explaining to do." He scolded,

"Yes mother." Alex rolled his eyes, grinning. Eagle snorted,

"Fox as a mother." He chuckled, Snake hit him over the head.

"How long have you been his guardian?" Wolf asked, Fox waved him away,

"What happened?" The spy demanded, Alex shifted on the bed then winced.

"He's been my guardian for... just over a year?" Alex's voice went up at the end, it was a question.

"Just over a year sounds about right, it was after Egypt, then you were," He paused, "Now you're about a year older, so yeah." Fox agreed. "Back to you." He hit him on the leg,

"The truck flipped." Alex exclaimed,

"And... the rest of your unit had to drop out due to injuries, you have your usual luck of the devil survived." Ben agreed,

"The rest went home in wheelchairs." Snake agreed,

"Chee was on crutches." Alex put in,

"Two out of three were in wheelchairs." Eagle amended,

"Stop it." Fox stated,

"Stop what?" Alex asked innocently,

"You know exactly what. The reason you are so good at RTI." Fox replied raising an eyebrow,

"That and the teenage urge to back chat and my love of winding up the green jackets." Alex replied,

"Who wouldn't want to wind them up. Never works for me." Eagle pouted,

"I never want to test them." Snake commented,

"I just want it over and done as soon as possible." Wolf added,

"Alexander." Fox growled,

"You slippery little-"

"Language." Snake cut off Wolf's exclamation.

"Back to you being an utter moron, the truck flipped in the storms..." Fox raised an eyebrow,

"I take offence, I am not an utter moron." Alex crossed his arms,

"Just mostly." Eagle put in,

"Yes, precisely." Alex nodded seriously.

"Yet at the same time being really good at everything else, so therefore not a moron at all." Eagle continued,

"Yes. Now you're getting it!"

"So-" Fox slapped a hand over Eagle's mouth.

"The truck flipped." He glared at Alex,

"The truck flipped a rib I had cracked in training broke even more, I felt it go. From then on I don't know, I guess it got embedded in the scar tissue around my..." He looked pointedly at Fox,

"Oh, go on." He prompted,

"The slip and hit of the head was not the only outcome, I hit my hips as well. I guess the made it dig in, then Eagle finished it off, not that any of this is his fault." Alex smiled at Eagle,

"Around your _what_?" Snake asked, "If it's scar tissue, its medical therefore my area. I need to know."

"Ah, you're awake, just in time for us." The doctor broke up the conversation. "Lets have a look." He lifted Alex's top and probed the area causing Alex to stiffen in pain.

"Perfect." He smiled a few minutes later, "Any allergies?"

"More severe knock out drugs, mainly due to his size, and penicillin." Ben replied noticing Alex wasn't saying anything, he was eyeing up the syringes.

"You can go under now." Ben noticed the fear in his eyes,

"Al, you'll be fine." He murmured in Italian, the one language he knew the rest of them didn't, "I'll be just around the corner." The doctor busied himself getting out a syringe,

"We'll give you this to get you there and then gas from then on." The doctor stated, Alex eyed the needle warily. Ben felt something brush his hand and looked down, Alex's hand was almost shaking. He squeezed it as the needle went in. The other hand ruffled his hair,

"Sleep well kiddo." The grip on his hand gradually lessoned as Alex lost consciousness.

"Hate to be the one to say it but, Jaguar is afraid of needles?" Eagle commented,

"No, he's not afraid of needles as such, more what's inside of them." Ben replied slouching back into the chair he had occupied when Alex had disappeared.

"What..." Wolf frowned,

"I think we can quite safely say there is more to Jaguars past than what we know." Snake commented,

"Including the fact he is Cub." Eagle put in.

* * *

Wolf woke in the middle of the night a crick in his neck, he sat up rubbing it then smiled slightly as he saw Jaguar asleep in the bed. Looking at him now he didn't look nearly old enough to be in the SAS. No lines creased his face and his eyes that held too much pain and knowledge were hidden. As he watched Jaguar's body stiffen and his brow furrow, his eyes darted under his lids and he tossed and turned, Wolf had had enough nightmares to recognise one when he saw it. He slipped out of his chair and approached the bed, a hand on his arm stopped him,

"Don't." Fox whispered,

"He's having a nightmare, someone has to wake him!" Wolf replied shocked, he was letting his charge go though that!

"Yes, but not you." Fox replied, his words stumped the SAS man long enough for Fox to slip past and sit on the edge of the bed, "Alex, it's Ben." He ran a hand through the blondes hair, he calmed and fell back into a dreamless sleep. Ben smiled and stood, Wolf grabbed his arm and pulled him outside,

"What was that?" Wolf hissed as they left the infirmary,

"Flashback, nightmare, take your pick." Fox ran a hand through his hair, "The first time I saw he had one I tried to wake him, as you did. The next thing I remember is waking up on the floor head pounding and Al pacing freaking out. He wasn't even awake when he did that. Now he has improved and I can usually calm him by telling him it's me and running a hand through his hair. At first it took a few minutes, but now... now I can do it within seconds."

"How long has he had them?" Wolf asked shocked,

"From what I gather years. Since he started. Don't let him know you know." Fox begged,

"Why?" Wolf frowned,

"He won't sleep."

"What?!"

"He doesn't like waking others, when I found out he refused to sleep, when I found that out we had a huge argument, I told him if he wasn't sleeping I wasn't sleeping. He doesn't know what I can do, I can't believe I can do that." Fox smiled fondly,

"Why?" Wolf asked, the answer was slow and broken in coming,

"It means he trusts me. I'm not saying he doesn't trust you, just that... he doesn't trust you fully." Fox struggled to find the right words, they headed back into the infirmary unaware they had been put there for nearly two hours, as they neared the rooms they heard a shout,

"Jaguar! Wake up!" It was Snake, "I'm not going to hurt you!"

Fox swore, paled then ran to the room Wolf close behind, he pulled Snake out the way giving Fox room to get to the teen,

"Alex, Alex. It's Ben, come on." He reached out to ruffle his hair and that did the trick, Alex's eyes flew open and he took in Ben's face,

"Ben." He gasped then wrapped his arms around the older spy,

"Hey, shh." Ben rubbed his back slowly.

"I hate being sedated." Alex muttered, Ben chuckled,

"So you have told me frequently." Ben glanced at the heart monitor and saw his heart rate was back to normal. "You OK?" He murmured,

"No." Alex breathed, "Sorry Eagle, Snake." He glanced at the two men nursing sore limbs, Ben let go and he dropped back onto the pillows.

"Be glad you are conscious, first time I tried that... I wasn't nearly as fortunate. Scoot." He shoved the teen over and stole the edge of the bed.

"Sorry..." Alex bit his lip,

"Technically you can't be blamed, you weren't awake for any of it. If we're playing the blame game I think we should go back to the roots." Ben added. "MI6."

"Ian." Alex continued,

"Yassen."

"MI6."

"Ash."

"MI6."

"ASIS."

"MI6."

"CIA."

"John."

"MI6."

"MI6 then, lets place the blame there." Alex grinned,

"Fine with me." Ben agreed,

"I'm sorry, stop being so cryptic. Start explaining." Snake demanded, uncharacteristically pissed off.

"Explaining what?" Alex asked confused,

"Oh I don't know... Everything?" Wolf replied sarcastically.

"Can't." Alex shrugged then winced,

"I'm _sorry." _Wolf hissed, Ben saw where he was going,

"Don't." He warned,

"It's true." Alex shot back,

"That's beside the point! They're -"

"Language." Snake cut off Ben,

"Off already, there's no need to make it worse!" He continued as though he hadn't been interrupted.

"It's still true." Alex sighed,

"Get them a OSA to sign then!" Ben exclaimed,

"Oh, I'll just go print one off shall I?" Alex smirked,

"Piss off." Ben muttered, then he smirked. He pulled out his phone and flicked down through the contacts.

"What are you doing?" Snake asked,

"Printing off the OSA." Alex sighed rolling his eyes,

"Because it's casual practise for every '6 agent to have a copy saved on his phone." Snake commented,

"No, he's phoning Smithers." Alex replied,

"No, you are phoning Smithers." Ben replied pressing dial. "Hello, Alex has favour to ask." Ben handed the phone to Smithers.

"Hey Smithers... Yes..." Alex smirked, "Only a rib this time... Yep, I have had worse... The OSA, can I have three copies by any chance... No, you are right, this is definitely _not_ going through Jones... I am telling them whether I have it or not, just thought I'd try doing things legally for once... Yeah, unlike I did with Tom... And Jack... And Sabina... And Liz and Edward but they didn't get the whole story just sketchy details... Hey! Technically Ben had clearance!.. OK maybe not for all of it, but most of it... some of it... Fine!" Alex threw a hand up in the air in frustration, "About 5% of what I told him I was legally allowed to, but me being alive is not technically legal is it?...Thanks, yes three... Brecon Infirmary... Thanks Smithers... yeah see you around... I'll try, bye." Alex hung up. Three pairs of eyes stared at him like he was crazy,

"Three copies of the OSA coming through the printer, off you trot." He grinned at Ben who rolled his eyes in response and left the room, he emerged carrying a small stack of paper,

"We have to read that." Eagle sighed,

"Wolf's already read and signed it, but you need to do it again." Alex stated, they both looked at their unit leader,

"The time I went to France. Point Blanc. I..." Wolf fidgeted, "Quit smirking you little-"

"Language." Snake barked, smirking when he saw Alex was fighting a smile,

"I met Cub after he snowboarded down the mountain on an ironing board chased by people on snowmobiles with machine guns, was hit by a train and got away with a tiny cut. We then had to go back to the castle and break out a group of kidnapped rich boys in the process I got shot and Cub here threw a snowmobile into the 'evil genius'' helicopter." Wolf summarised looking at the floor,

"Please tell me you made a joke about that." Eagle was bouncing in his seat, Alex shrugged,

"What can I say, I sleighed him." Alex grinned as Eagle roared with laughter, Snake chuckled and Ben and Wolf fought smiles.

"You didn't tell us about that Wolf." Eagle commented,

"I couldn't signed the bloody OSA." He grumbled,

"So its safe to sign?" Snake checked,

"Any changes since then?" Wolf asked the two spies,

"Nope." Ben confirmed, the three signed the papers then faced the two spies.

Now, start talking." Wolf growled,

"Ah, you're awake!" The doctor walked in, "How are you feeling?"

"Oh just dandy." Alex replied sarcasm lacing his tone, "When can I go?" Ben snorted,

"He serious?" The doctor asked him,

"Perfectly." Ben smiled,

"You have to be here for at least a week. After that I will decide." He decreed, Alex frowned,

"Half a week?" He tried,

"Six days." The doctor replied,

"Four."

"Five and a half."

"Four and a half."

"Five." Alex paused, then nodded,

"Deal."

"Did I really just bargain over a patients stay." The doctor sighed and shook his head,

"I'm starting to see why he's so good at RTI." Snake commented,

"So am I." Wolf agreed.

"You should see him when he's actually been kidnapped. I actually felt sorry for the guy at one point." Ben sighed,

"Didn't stop you from kicking him between the legs." Alex retorted,

"He spent the last three months torturing you, he deserved much worse." Ben replied grimly.

"Yassen made sure of _that_." Alex finished, Ben cocked an eyebrow,

"So, he's dead is he?"

"Which one?" Alex cursed his slip up.

"Either." Ben smirked,

"Yes, very, very dead. Both of them."

"Of course both of them are dead." Ben agreed smiling, he wasn't going to tell anyone.

"What happened!" The doctor demanded returning with a tray of food and a card, he took in the scene of the two joking on the bed and the other three with expression varying between shock and highly protective.

"Nothing, oh breakfast!" Alex exclaimed,

"Eat up." He placed it on the table then pushed it up to his patient, "A gift from the kitchen staff, along with a get well soon and a card that was in the printer." He placed the card on the side then left,

"Tortured." Wolf breathed,

"Three months." Snake added, both spies eyes widened,

"Shit, Al, I'm sorry." Ben breathed, the young spy was trying to keep his heart rate down, slowly the beeping was going up, Alex pulled off the monitor and the line flat-lined, the doctor raced back in guessing what had happened,

"Lasted longer than I had expected, you go get your breakfast. You can't bring it back here, I don't care what you say, but he has obviously had a shock, go." The doctor ordered them out, they all stood slowly and left the room in a daze, leaving Ben and Alex,

"You too Fox." The doctor ordered, he caught the desperate looks and sighed, "Fine. But you need to go at some point." He left the room, Alex pushed his breakfast away appetite vanishing,

"Ben." He sounded like a small child again,

"Hey, come here." Ben slipped an arm around him and Alex leant against the one person left in the world he trusted.

By the time the three others appeared after eating both spies were fast asleep. Wolf dimmed the lights and shut the door then turned to his unit,

"Sargent's office." He decreed.

* * *

"If he misses too much time he has to be binned, you know that!" The Sargent exclaimed,

"But sir!" Eagle exclaimed,

"You knows the rules soldier, he can come back and complete it at a later date, from the start with the rest of the recruits." The Sargent decreed,

"Sir, if I may." Snake stepped forward, knowing he was the most level headed of the group the Sargent nodded,

"Say what you will Snake."

"Jaguar is Cub, am I right?" The medic stated,

"You worked that out did you? Where are you going with this?" The Sargent asked, he wanted as much as them for Jaguar to finish selection, but the rules couldn't be bent. Not even for MI6's top spy.

"He completed the two penultimate weeks of training with us two years ago." Snake stated, "That is where he is now, at worst he is in there for one and a half weeks, we can teach him all the theory that is needed and the physical things can come later, we know he can do it, he's already proven that." This was met with silence. Slowly the Sargent nodded,

"Your logic is sound. He can stay, under certain conditions." He added,

"We'll do it sir." Wolf promised,

"I thought you hated the idea of a recruit Wolf?" The Sargent commented, "Cub even more."

"He has proven himself more than worthy of our respect and acknowledgement." Wolf replied carefully,

"I want you in there all the time you are not training teaching him theory, when you are out training Fox will be teaching him unless he has to do that exercise. I want him fully versed in the theory of any activity he could be doing during his last few weeks."

"Yes sir." The three chorused,

"I want him fully preped and passed. I may be able to get some leeway on injury grounds but I want him to pass. I will lighten your activities until you are a full unit again, any punishment time is spent teaching Jaguar overtime, understood?" The Sargent checked,

"Understood sir." The three replied again,

"Good. Dismissed." They left the office and Eagle pummelled Snake on the arm,

"We did it! You really spoke up." He exclaimed,

"Let's go see if they're awake yet." Snake smiled despite his team mates annoying habits.

"If they're not, I'm waking them!" Eagle announced, "OW!" The other two hit him over the head,

"No you are not." Wolf growled, "They are exhausted, the last thing you shall be doing is adding to that."

"Wolf!" Lynx of f unit ran over,

"Hey lynx, what's up?" Wolf asked,

"How's Jag? Is he going to have to restart?" Lynx sounded sincerely worried,

"No, we talked Sarge out of it, barely, we need to teach him all the theory possible before he leave the infirmary though, any time outside activities we have are to be spent teaching him the theory." Wolf replied,

"Anything you need, don't hesitate to ask, we want him to pass." Lynx told them,

"Will do." Wolf promised then the other SAS man jogged off to the assault course,

"How come he has so many friends." Eagle whined,

"Because he's not as annoying as you." Wolf replied flatly,

"It's true, hey, how long until he is out?" S unit had snuck up behind them,

"Jag and the doctor compromised on five days. We're teaching him theory until then." Snake replied,

"Dr Manning compromised on something?" Hyena gasped shocked,

"You don't want to see Jaguar when he's got going. He twists your words and gets you off track, no wonder the green jackets hate him." Snake sighed,

"He that bad huh." Bear chuckled,

"You wouldn't believe it." Wolf confirmed,

"We'll have to visit him and put it to the test." Hyena smiled,

"If you need anything don't hesitate to ask, there's only three units here at the moment and he's the only recruit left, its a poor show if we can't get one to pass, even worse if Jaguar can't pass. I think he should pass anyway, he's proved he can do everything better than anyone else." Bear sighed, "Anyway, the offers there. See you around." They headed towards the firing range.

"Sixteen SAS unit members at this godforsaken camp and every single one wants to help him." Snake shook his head,

"Sixteen? Fifteen." Wolf corrected,

"Fine, fifteen and an ex SAS SO agent." Snake corrected,

"Much better." Wolf teased,

"You have been spending too much time around the kid." Snake laughed, "He's a bad influence."

"AM NOT!" A shout came from the room Jaguar was in.

"He's just an influential kid. Stay around him too long and you loose every harsh bone in your body." Ben agreed,

"Shove off. Do not." Alex hit his playfully,

"Do too." Ben replied,

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Do not."

"Do t-"

"SHUT UP!" Wolf exclaimed, the two spies turned to each other and stuck their tongue out in unison.

"You're worse than Eagle when put together." Snake sighed,

"Are not!" They both exclaimed,

"Hey, I take offence at that!" Eagle harrumphed and pouted,

"You should." Wolf snorted,

"No way." Snake was looking at Alex in shock.

"What?" The four asked him,

"You don't flinch at being called 'kid' or 'kiddo' as any self respecting adult would, you are obviously illegal and called yourself a teen. No," His eyes were wide, "You can't be. You're too good."

"Why are you _always_ underestimated?" Ben groaned,

"I'm not complaining, still alive because of it." Alex smirked,

"It's because you look like a child." He commented,

"Gee, wonder why that is." Alex teased, "Anyway, that's why MI6 love me so much." His voice turned bitter.

"You're a _teenager._" Wolf breathed finally understanding,

"Took you bloody long enough." Ben and Alex exclaimed amused,

"Are you 18?" Eagle asked bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"No." Alex replied,

"No, you must have been at least seventeen when you came here last time." Wolf scoffed, "You can't still be a teenager."

"Do I really look that old?" Alex asked Ben, mock insulted,

"No, you look much older." He joked,

"So, were you sixteen the last time you came here?" Eagle asked, ignoring the fact he had said he was not eighteen, which would probably rule out being sixteen the last time he was here two years ago.

"I'm sixteen now."

* * *

**Yes, K unit still don't know much, I'm getting there, I swear. Any ideas for what happens next?**

**Please review with anything!**


	5. Ian Rider

**Couldn't get the idea out of my head so I wrote it down. Now to go back to the homework I should be doing... Aww damn!**

**Enjoy my procrastination!**

* * *

"Bullshit." Wolf repeated for the fifteenth time,

"Do you ever think he'll tire of saying that?" Alex whispered to Ben,

"Bullshit."

"No." Ben sighed, "Eagle, gag him will you." Their team mates didn't move,

"Snake?" Alex tried, all three were staring at Alex in shock.

"Bull-"

"Shut up!" Ben and Alex exclaimed as Alex threw an apple from his breakfast at him,

"Stop staring at me like I've grown a third head!" Alex pleaded,

"When did you grow a second?" Ben asked,

"In between Turkey and Portugal." Alex replied,

"I thought something had changed!" Ben nodded 'understandingly'.

"You'd think you'd notice something like a second head growing." Alex teased, "Nice to see you notice things about me." He sniffed, mock hurt. Alex leant his head on Ben shoulder,

"I'm going to have to start charging you for the amount of time you use me as a pillow." Ben warned,

"Sorry, can't pay you until I'm 21, '6 have all my money. And free will. And leverage." Alex frowned,

"And plenty of blackmail up their sleeves. What are they on at the moment?" Ben asked poking Alex when he didn't reply,

"Tom. But he's running out, he spends most the time at my house, whether I'm there or not. They've been dappling in others at the moment." Alex frowned unhappy,

"Who?" There was no response again, "Al," He ruffled his hair,

"Huh." Alex blinked, "Oh, you lot." He snuggled back down, "Bloody sedatives." He mumbled and was then fast asleep.

"How is he?" Dr Manning asked entering the room,

"Exhausted." Ben replied,

"That's understandable, most of our sedatives are designed for the bulkier build, we calculated it down, but there's still going to be after affects." Manning replied, he checked Alex's vitals and frowned at the uneaten food, "Given from the fact you haven't moved since I told you to get breakfast I'm going to say you haven't. Eat his and I'll get him some lunch when he wakes." There were cries of outrage from Eagle,

"He gets the nice breakfast because he hasn't bothered to move!" He squeaked, food pulling him out of the shock the former information had given him,

"Wake that boy and I'll sedate you yourself young man." Manning scolded, "I'm sure Fox will help me hold you down." The Doctor played on Ben's protective side,

"Happily sir." Ben smiled, Eagle sat back in his seat and pouted silently. Slowly Snake and Wolf left their shocked states in time to see the doctor take the now cold hot breakfast away and leave the rest.

"Hmm, bread and jam." Ben grinned making himself breakfast then eating it, Wolf sat back and ate his apple, the one they had thrown at him earlier, watching the young spy sleep.

"Sixteen." He murmured, Ben smirked as he moved onto the apple, "He was fourteen last time. _Fourteen_." He shook his head smiling to himself, "Crazy."

"You eat really loudly." Alex complained waking,

"Forgive me for being unable to eat an apple without crunching it." Ben laughed,

"I try." Alex replied sitting up wincing, Ben helped him up smiling,

"You don't even like apples, so you never really eat them." Ben replied,

"What!" Eagle exclaimed, "He's been eating them all week!"

"Well I couldn't let them go to waste, could I?" Alex grinned,

"They wouldn't have gone to waste with me!" Eagle exclaimed,

"Well, you know an apple a day keeps the doctor away, thought' I'd give it a try, didn't work but..." He shrugged. "Gary found out and has been giving me oranges since, much better fruit,"

"Why apples today?" Snake asked amused at the relationship between the two,

"Ran out of oranges, he's ordered more in but the recent batch came as three times too many apples, hence the two apples for breakfast." Alex replied with a slight shrug, "I should really know better." He added through gritted teeth as a wave of pain shot through his body.

"Yep." Ben replied gleefully.

"Who are you?" Wolf asked looking at Alex with narrowed eyes, Ben smirked,

"My I introduce to you, Agent Rider, MI'6's top spy." He announced, Alex hit him over the head, "What was that for?!"

"You deserved it." Alex muttered, "You could have broken it more gently."

"You're a spy. An SO spy." Snake repeated flatly,

"That's so cool!" Eagle exclaimed, "A teenage spy, who would suspect such a thing!"

"Precisely." Ben and Alex replied in hard voices. The three SAS men took in the dark expressions and Wolf frowned,

"Point Blanc was not a one off was it?" He deduced,

"No, it was my second mission." Alex nodded, then sighed, "Ask me questions and I will do my best to answer them."

"How many years have you been doing this?" Snake asked,

"Since I came here. This was all the training I received before my first mission."

"Which was?" Wolf prompted, Alex ran through the rough details of the Stormbreaker mission never any specific details, just a rough outline,

"Point Blanc was your second?" Wolf checked,

"Yep." Alex leant back,

"Why didn't you wait for back up?" He queried,

"I had no great desire to be dissected." He replied grimly. That paused them, Eagle was shaking his head not believing someone would do that to a child.

"You'd best start from the beginning. You've done your first, explain Point Blanc." Ben suggested, Alex nodded slowly the took a deep breath, his side pulsed in complaint, he rubbed his temples and let out the air in a huge gust. Then he ran through the details of that mission, then he told them about Wimbledon. Then about the resulting mission with the CIA agents and Sarov then about Damien Cray.

There he paused. Lunch had come and gone and all five were sitting around eating apples, a gift from the kitchen. Ben glanced across at him and immediately knew the reason behind the hesitation.

"I can't." He whispered,

"Later, maybe. Go onto the one with Drevin." Ben prompted, Wolf glance curiously at the conversation and opened his mouth, Ben shook his head so the unit leader left it. He was unnerved by the darkness in his youngest members eyes.

Instead he sat back and listened Jaguar weave another unbelievable story about Ark angel and going into space, they had questioned that in disbelief but he had described it with such certainty and little details that they had to believe him.

Alex then went onto the mission with Ash, Ben now putting in little comments as this was their first joint mission, in a way. Then he went on about the school trip with the GM crops and what had happened there. Then he told them about the uprising with Scorpia. In the middle of this 'story' dinner came in and then Alex seemed to skip a span of about four months. After that he told them about his second mission with Ben to bring down more triads, Ben told this story to give Alex's voice a rest. He had been talking most of the day. From then on Ben told them of three missions and Alex two more, these ones solo. After this Alex smirked.

"When we returned from India Jones ordered me into her office and I was told I had two choices, another mission, or SAS training, I chose SAS as you probably guessed and here I am." Alex finished. They had been silent, a record for Eagle, for almost the whole day, the only break had been when Alex had announced him going into space.

"That's quite a tale kiddo." Wolf finally got out,

"I only wish it wasn't true." Eagle put in grimly.

"So do I." Alex chuckled lowly,

"Why did you do it if you didn't want to?" Snake asked,

"Blackmail." Ben replied when Alex remained silent,

"What?" Wolf seethed,

"They blackmailed me." Alex repeated,

"With what?!" Eagle squeaked,

"Other people I cared about." Alex sighed,

"Like?" Wolf prompted, he wasn't stopping until he had the whole story.

"First few was Jack, my guardian, she was American and they threatened to deport her if I didn't do the missions, if she was gone I would be at the complete mercy of '6 and she didn't want to go back to the states yet. They lost that leverage though." Alex added grimly,

"What got you started?" Snake asked leaning forward,

"My uncle was assassinated, he was my guardian and that left me as legal property of '6. They control my finances and house." He twisted the word 'property'.

"That's not legal!" Wolf exclaimed,

"What about this is?" Ben asked flatly,

"Good point. So they lost the leverage of Jack, what happened to him?" Snake asked,

"She, Jack was a she. She was killed for an experiment." Alex's voice was full of hatred.

"What did they use next?" Eagle asked for once using tact and realising that was a bad area to go.

"When I had retired to get me back they shot at my friend, claimed the only way to keep him safe was to go to Egypt, the place where Jack died. After that they still used my friend, a messy divorce and they have all the power over who he goes to, his dad is a drunk abuser, they know I would never do that to him, but he practically lives with me so that rules out that soon, and when he becomes an adult he can move in permanently or but his own house. Two more years.

"The CIA and ASIS did it too, firstly with the CIA I was leant out, like a library book." He smirked humourlessly, "Then they found their own ways to blackmail me when I was there. ASIS used my godfather against me, he knew my dad and I would do anything to find out about him." Alex groaned, "I was an idiot." Ben ruffled his hair and murmured something in a language they didn't understand.

"Then I lived in America with my foster family, my new guardians, then..." He trailed off.

"Four months later he was back in England and I offered to be his guardian. We knew '6 would be hungry to have him back so we made a deal. Over time we had learnt how to play the agencies. Alex walked in and announced; 'I can work for you' That in itself stated he didn't want to but his logic was sound." Ben continued as though there hadn't been a pause. At the confused looks at his last statement the elaborated,

"Better people know where you are so if someone gets you you know someone somewhere will know to look for you. Learnt that the hard way. If people don't know where you are you are left because no one even knows they should be looking for you." Alex replied grimly.

"As his legal guardians they have control over him. They offered to be his guardians but then he would have been at their every beck and call. With me as a guardian he was safer. Also I wanted to move into his house." Ben grinned.

"You got the smaller bedroom." Alex teased, but the light didn't reach his eyes.

"Al, your house has five bedrooms, there are smaller rooms than the one I am in." Ben replied.

"What happened in America?" Wolf asked, the two on the bed clammed up. Snake stood and made his way over to the bed sensing 'story time' was over.

"Now, as a medic I need to see all your injuries. Properly. Top off." Snake gestured with his fingers, Alex frowned, then turned to Ben who nodded slightly. He turned to face Wolf.

"This is what happened in America." He pulled his top off with help from Snake and Ben then leant back on the pillows wincing as the injury pulled and stretched.

"They weren't there before." Wolf growled, new scars had appeared on Jaguar's arms, ones that hadn't been there before.

"Smithers gave me a cream, basically enhanced concealer. It covered the scars and is water proof, it was so I could do the swimming without drawing attention to-"

"WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU!" Wolf bellowed,

"Good thing these rooms are soundproof." Ben murmured causing Alex to laugh,

"How did you get that?" Snake tapped the bullet wound.

"Sniped." Alex replied shrugging,

"I love how you shrug that off, where is your sense of self preservation?" Ben sighed,

"Lost it, along with my dignity and innocence." Alex replied,

"Yeah, understand that." Ben rolled his eyes amused.

"Where did you get this?" Snake tapped a scar.

"Bullet, failed to dodge it." Alex replied,

"This?" Snake asked, Alex hesitated,

"Pass." Snake narrowed his eyes but moved onto the next. Any injury he got in the three months he hadn't told them about was 'passed'.

"How did you get all the 'pass' injuries?" Wolf growled, patience fraying.

"America." Snake guessed, Alex nodded. Alex tapped Bend leg and nodded,

"Jaguar was adopted by the Pleasures and lived there for three weeks in the states after Jack died. Scorpia blew up their house after kidnapping Alex. '6 assumed he had died in the blast but I, and some others, didn't. We knew Alex too well. Smithers and his US counterpart searched the remains of the house and discovered no remains of him. He wasn't there, it took three months to find enough evidence and convince the right people to get them looking for him. We finally found him half dead in Siberia. After a month in hospital he was summoned to R&G where we announced I had adopted him. From then on he was paid and received the same benefits as others." Ben summarised.

"You spent three months being tortured by Scorpia." Wolf breathed. He looked fiercely protective, as though anyone coming within a three mile radius of Jaguar would be killed, or at least rendered unconscious. Alex felt a tugging at his bandages and froze, Snake swore.

"You spent three months being tortured by Dr Three." If Wolf had looked protective before, it was nothing compared to now. The area Snake was looking at had three deep lines underlined with another line, all still red scar tissue, still having a long way to go with fully healing.

"What's under there?" Eagle asked tapping the bandage, Alex stiffened and paled, "Oops."

"Yeah Eagle, generally it is a bad thing to tap the recently operated site." Snake sighed, "What is under there?"

"A bullet and knife wound. They were curious to see what would happen if you got shot and stabbed in the same place." Alex rolled and showed them his back, Wolf growled.

"Ah. I forgot you hadn't seen that side." Alex groaned. This would take a while. "That's basically the reverse of what is on the front." He tapped the exit wound for the bullet.

"Jag. Why do you have a scorpion burned onto your back." Wolf's voice was deadly calm.

"A reminder..." Alex trailed off as Wolf's eyes burned with anger.

"What happened to him?" He barely managed to speak.

"Yassen Gregorovich." Ben and Alex replied in unison, the three others winced,

"He deserved it." Snake finally said. Four pairs of eyes looked at their otherwise harmless team mate who shrugged and gestured helplessly at Alex's body.

"Out all of you!" A nurse exclaimed, "It's nearly midnight!" Everyone started, shocked so much time had passed. Slowly they traipsed out the room, all but Ben, again.

"You too." She ordered crossing her arms, Ben sighed and nodded, she left shooting him a last glare,

"Sleep well kiddo." He murmured ruffling his hair.

"'Cause that's likely." Alex muttered, Ben sighed, he flicked the lights off and sat on the edge of the bed,

"Benjamin." Alex warned,

"No one will know, you need sleep to complete selections, you know that Al." He replied and ran a ran through his hair until he dropped off. Ben smiled to himself, it never failed to work, it was what Ben had done after every nightmare he had known about. Silently he slipped out and headed back to the hut.

"How is he?" Wolf murmured,

"I don't know. I saw the result of him telling me everything..." He ran a hand through his hair and reflected back to the one time Alex had come to find him after a nightmare.

"Not good then." Snake commented,

"There's a reason I didn't want him telling you until after he had finished selection, and it's nothing to do with you." Ben replied lying back on his bed.

"I still can't believe that's happened to him." Eagle put his head in his hands.

"After America he had nothing to loose. He was free from them and that was the issue, they didn't know he was missing. The CIA did their best to use him in the three weeks before he was kidnapped, did one mission under the fact they were going to deport the Pleasure's back to England, they left to get away from their past in England, he wasn't jeopardising that for them." Ben groaned.

"Go to sleep." Wolf ordered, "We're teachers tomorrow." Soon the other three members of the hut were asleep.

* * *

Wolf rolled out of bed at six sharp and kicked the other two bed to wake their slumbering occupants then turned to the fourth bed, Fox was fast asleep, huge bags under his eyes, he motioned for the others to be quiet then dressed and went to run the assault course before breakfast. They returned after their showers to see their last member stirring.

"Hey sleepy head." Snake smiled at him, then frowned at the exhaustion lining his face. "How much sleep did you get?"

"I don't know. Not enough. More than Jag I'll bet." He ran a hand through his hair and stood. "You didn't wake me."

"You needed the sleep." Wolf replied rubbing his hair dry, "Breakfast then teachers we are."

They headed to the mess and sat at the table, they were the first ones there.

"Hey," Lynx sat next to them his unit followed closely by S unit. "What are you teaching Jaguar today?"

"Probably tactics. Then the makes and models of the guns, that'll be recapping, then Terrorist organisations. Sarge got us all off timetable for the first three days, minus the assault course in the mornings and a swim at night." Wolf told them what they unit had planned this morning in the showers.

"Tomorrow?" Hare asked,

"Test him on today, then first aid and touch up on his languages." Snake replied to his fellow medic, Ben laughed,

"What?" Everyone looked at him,

"The last thing he needs is touching up on his languages." Ben grinned,

"What does he speak?" Parrot the Communication specialist for S unit demanded,

"English, French, German, Spanish, Mandarin, Italian and Russian like a native, Arabic, Mexican, Bengali and Farsi he can survive on and some other drips and drabs. Come from growing up in seven countries and having exciting holidays, his uncle was a banker so travelled a lot. Also his mind is like sponge." He noted the shocked faces, "Since he left school he drilled himself in languages, loves them. You get used to it." He added as an afterthought.

"Come on. Lets go start." Wolf stood,

"Wait!" Lynx called, K unit's leader sat back down, "You want him to pass right? We all do."

"Yes, why?" Snake replied confused,

"We're all here for refreshers, we can swap times etc. what if these best in each subject teach them what they know? Comms you send Fox, Parrot and myself in, weapons you Wolf, Bear and Boar. Tactics, Eagle, Anteater and Jay then first aid the medics." Lynx suggested, they all digested that then nodded slowly,

"Fine with me." Fox nodded,

"All good but one issue, Fox has been ordered to be with him all the time. He has been taken wholly off timetable to teach him what he knows." Snake stated, they all looked at Fox confused, none looked more confused than the man himself,

"That clears that up." Hare joked, "SO man stumped."

"May be because you are SO." Eagle commented,

"What's that got to do with Jag?" Parrot asked,

"Wait, his uncle was a banker?" Jay checked, Fox nodded, "A banker for Royal and General?" Ben hesitated then nodded. "Now you know why he's in there."

"Oh, spy." Those who hadn't clicked nodded realisation dawning. Anteater suddenly sat up abruptly, everyone's attention snapped to him.

"Ian Rider."

* * *

**As one of my reviewers reviewed: Dun dun duunnnnn!**

**Please review! I will love you forever!**

**Who wants Alex to finished training and go on a mission again?**

**Pick SAS, MI6, CIA, ASIS or any of their counterparts. I am having a vote people! Please take part! Assist in my procrastination.**


	6. John Rider, Cub, Green Berets and RTI

**As always ENJOY!**

* * *

Everyone looked at Anteater each noticing similarities between the two, Jaguar and Ian.

"Oh dear Lord." Parrot breathed, now they all looked at him. "Never mind Ian, John Rider." Blank faces met him.

"Who?" Snake asked,

"Ian's brother. You all remember Ian he only stopped coming here nearly three years ago, his last one was just before Cub arrived, we joked they looked similar and this was Panther reborn." Parrot shook his head. "I was new and starting selection, this is going back, oh sixteen years it must be, but I remember him because he was so good. He was SO but he was amazing at SAS. He came back simply to say goodbye, him and his family were moving to leave SO. Jaguar is the spitting image I swear."

"What happened?" You could have heard a pin drop, Fox's stomach had dropped through the floor when Jay had said 'Ian Rider' but it was near New Zealand now they had Alex's dad.

"No one knows, rumours here and there but nothing solid." Parrot shook his head, "Haven't seen hide or hair of him since, no one wanted to ask Panther, Ian, about his brother in case something had happened." Parrot concluded.

"What happened?" Jay speculated out loud,

"They died." A new voice declared. They spun around to see Sarge standing in the doorway the grey skies a backdrop to his form,

"How sir?" Lynx asked,

"Plane crash, they were flying to France to start over and the plane crashed, their son survived. He was at an aunts with an ear infection." He announced, "Now scat." They stood and pushed their trays away.

"We'll make a timetable and get it to you." Wolf told the other unit leaders, they nodded they, as the Sargent so nicely put it, scat. K unit practically ran to the infirmary and burst into Jaguars room.

"Your parent died when you were a child!" Eagle burst out unable to hold it in, Alex slowly put down his book and raised an eyebrow,

"Yes." He replied slowly,

"You never told us that." Wolf replied sitting in a chair,

"Why should I have done. Who?" Alex let the question hang,

"Well Anteater remembered Ian Rider, said you looked alike then Parrot thought of John Rider and then Sarge came in and said they had died." Ben explained, Alex sighed,

"Sometimes it sucks looking like your uncle and dad." He muttered.

"Bet some interesting things could happen if someone recognised you on a mission." Ben commented thoughtfully,

"Interesting is one word for it." Alex thought back to being thrown into a tank with a Portuguese Man-of-war.

"We have planned your teachers." Wolf announced, Alex frowned,

"Not you?" He asked, sighing internally,

"Nope. Most of camp." Eagle replied gleefully, "You have _lots_ of friends Cub." He froze, "Jaguar." He corrected, Ben laughed as Alex glared,

"Why! I don't need twelve teachers!" He exclaimed,

"Told you he wouldn't like the attention." Ben crowed,

"Shut it." Wolf growled, "And you, deal with it kid." Alex rolled his eyes then let them plan his day all the time Ben was smirking at the disgruntled look on his face.

"You actually look like a teenager now." Snake commented at one point, as opposed to this wiping the scowl off Alex's face, as he had hoped, it deepened the scowl. The only respite came when his phone rang, he brightened when he saw the caller,

"Hey Tom." He said into the phone, three others in the room were gaping at him,

"How come _he_ gets signal!" Eagle exclaimed indignant, Ben shushed him,

"_OK. Who pissed you off."_ Tom's amused voice asked,

"Not you, that you can be sure of." Alex sighed sounding weary.

"_I called with a favour." _Tom asked slowly,

"What is it?" Alex was cautious.

"_You know how you aren't in your house at the moment..." _

"Yes."

"_Could I maybe stay in it for the next few weeks?" _His best friend blurted, Alex laughed,

"You don't have to ask, you know that. You've stayed that long before."

"_Yeah, but you were always there. Ben's with you right?"_ Tom checked,

"Yep, he's here in hell with me."

"_How is it?"_

"Same old, same old."

"_So, you're in the infirmary then._" Tom laughed,

"Yep." Alex sighed, "And now most of the camp is going to teach me the theory behind all I need to learn when here."

"_Ah, attention, your favourite thing."_ Tom commiserated, "_Shit! Have to go, talk soon Al."_

"Yeah, make yourself at home, see you soon." Alex called, he heard a smashing noise then screaming,

"_Thanks you have no idea what that means to me."_ The line disconnected,

"Tom's staying then." Ben smiled,

"Yep, they're throwing things at each other." Alex sighed,

"Again." The elder spy put in.

"Yep. Again."

"Sorted!" Wolf announced, Snake and Eagle left to brief the other units.

"Smithers designed a signal booster for here, so now you get signal 24/7." Alex told Wolf, he grinned,

"Don't tell Eagle." Wolf schemed.

"Don't worry. I won't." Alex grinned, then frowned and crossed his arms as two members of the other units filed in after Snake and Eagle.

"Oh, grumpy teenager is back." Snake laughed,

"So, languages first." Wolf stood, "See you later Jag." The three other K unit members left the room leaving Lynx, Parrot and Ben with Alex.

"I hear you're multilingual." Parrot asked in Spanish.

"Yep." He agreed in the same language.

Two hours later Wolf returned with Boar and Bear and saw a heated debate occurring. In Bengali.

"Hey. English please." Bear shouted,

"Clearly better due to the fact that it never rains there!" Alex slipped back into English mid sentence,

"I beg to differ, Nice is better, less sun." Parrot was arguing,

"That's rich coming from the person named after the tropical bird." Ben snorted,

"Shove off Fox," He shot back,

"Hey, I have it. Venezuela." Lynx grinned,

"No, too hot and sunny, its in the tropics!" Parrot exclaimed,

"Tropical bird!" Ben and Alex retorted,

"It is far too hot." Alex continued, "Perth."

"Scotland, Australia?" Parrot asked,

"Australia." Alex chose,

"Too hot, nice beaches." Ben commented,

"Too many-"

"SHUT UP!" Boar had had enough,

"Why?!" The four who had been debating demanded,

"You're dong my head in!" Boar sighed,

"Did you teach him anything?" Wolf asked trying to keep his patience,

"More like he taught us. But the best way to learn is to teach, proves you have understood, so in that respect he learnt a lot." Lynx confirmed, he turned to Alex, "Cuba."

"Perpignan." He replied. Parrot coughed,

"Alexandria."

"No, you have it all wrong." Ben sighed, "Vienna."

"Hmm, I guess, it is good." Lynx agreed,

"If you like Mozart yeah, the chocolates are nice." Parrot nodded,

"Great in the summer, skating on lakes in the winter... Yeah." Alex grinned.

"Your turn. Be warned, that little bugger can twist his words like no one else. You wouldn't believe it." Lynx clapped his team mate on his shoulder, the two new comers cautiously sat down,

"So what do you know about weapons?" Bear asked, Ben snorted,

"Tu ne m'aide pas à me montrer comme un ado innocent Ben. Arrête!." Alex muttered,

"Tu me blâme de rire de cette question? Tu as été formé par le sanglant tu sais qui Al, seulement la pensée que tu ne sais pas manipuler des armes est déja ridicule, au mieu.." Ben replied shrugging,

"Tu sais qui? Je ne savais pas que j'ai été formée par Lord Voldemort!" Alex fought back a smirk.

"Tais toi..." Now Ben was muttering, Alex grinned and laughed, then glanced at the three member of the SAS now sitting in shock.

"What?!" Alex exclaimed,

"Ben was our best linguist, it's strange to see him beaten." Wolf managed to get out, "What were you saying?" Ben opened his mouth, Alex levelled a glare at him,

"Nothing much. Jag spent most of his time hurling insults at me." Ben muttered,

"Yeah. So, weapons." Wolf looked at him in disbelief but let it drop knowing what might have been said may not have been appropriate for Bear and Boar's ears.

* * *

Snake knocked on the door to the infirmary and pushed it open, he smiled faintly at what he saw. Ben was sleep on the edge of the bed and Alex was fast asleep curled up, slowly he backed out the door, he walked straight into Eagle,

"What's up?" He asked, Snake slapped a hand over his mouth,

"Shh." Snake hissed,

"Oh, teaching wore them out did it? Not even dinner time." Eagle pouted,

"Oh, I hoped they were up for a game of cards." Wolf approached but Snake shook his head,

"You wake them and I'll render you unconscious myself." He warned,

"OK mother hen." Wolf grinned, "Come on, Lynx is staging a poker tournament."

"Hey! Where's Fox and Jag?" Parrot called,

"Out for the count, I do believe that may partly have been the doctors doing though." Snake replied thinking back on the sight and remembering Manning promising to render them both unconscious if they didn't let the other get rest.

"They deserve it, we have been drilling him, and through him Fox, hard for the past few days. He's out tomorrow right?" Lynx checked,

"Yep. Doctor willing." Eagle replied, "I'm going to miss the apples."

"I'm going to miss his lack of appetite." Wolf sighed, "He'll manage to eat the chocolate this soon."

"I'm going to enjoy him having an appetite back." Snake commented,

"Me too." Hare agreed, they had been getting on a him about food for the past four days.

"How long until he's back perfect?" Parrot called as they sat at the poker table,

"He'll be better by the end of training, no doubt '6 will ruin that by sending him on a mission." Snake groaned,

"True. I would never have said he was SO. Cub definitely was but Jag... he looks young, sure but actual age... I guess we should have guessed, he was too good, just like Cub. Too bad you didn't make him feel welcome." Leopard comment casually.

"We did better the second time round." Eagle commented. Then froze. Eight grins materialised.

"Oh, so Jaguar is Cub is he." Bear sat back and crossed his arms.

"Don't be silly, why would he come back after we treated him like shit?" Wolf brushed the comment off.

"Someone has been having lessons from the spies." Jay sat forwards hands holding his head up.

"Yes or no, doesn't break the OSA, which you have no doubt signed." Leopard stated,

"Yes." Snake sighed. Grins spread.

"I think I am cut out for the world of Espionage." Leopard grinned,

"Then hope '6 doesn't agree, you all have seen what it did to Fox and now Cub/Jaguar." Wolf sighed,

"True, why _do_ his eyes hold so much pain and look like a war veterans. Hell we _are_ war vets and don't look like that!" Lynx asked, K unit looked at each other,

"That, pray you never have to know." Wolf replied grimly,

"That and we can't spill because he is out team mate and asked us not to, I really don't want to remember myself, you wouldn't believe us anyway and we have signed the OSA." Snake put in,

"Sounds fair. Not sure I want to know myself." Anteater commented, "I win!" He exclaimed claiming the 'winnings', they were rocks.

* * *

"Are you _fucking_ kidding me!" Wolf bellowed six hours later kicking the stone wall of the cell they were held in. His head was pounding and a small cut above his eye had only just stopped bleeding,

"That's a rib gone Jag." Snake sighed,

"Great." Jaguar sighed,

"You are just banged up Fox, Eagle and Wolf are just bruised with cuts." Snake finished the examinations.

"I assumed RTI would wait until Jag was out the infirmary." Eagle commented,

"So did Sarge, he told me it wouldn't happen until Jag was better fully." Wolf growled, "I am going to kill those fucking green berets if something happens to his health because of this."

"I have been in worse situations." Alex sat up slowly,

"Yeah, one broken bone and already been here what twenty minutes, must be a record." Ben teased,

"It is actually. My best is two ribs broken, three cracked and a severe concussion. I didn't want to be kidnapped!" He defended himself at the three shocked looks.

"When you say 'best' please say you mean most harmful." Snake whispered pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Yes." Alex lied.

"Jaguar." Wolf growled,

"I was doing as he told me to!" Alex exclaimed,

"What is the worst you have had by this time?" Snake asked. Alex didn't reply. "Jaguar I know you can hear me." There was a groan,

"By twenty five minutes in the worst is when I was in a coma and with three bullet wounds, two stab, five broken ribs, six fractured multiple cracks, defence wounds, a killer concussion, broken leg and sprained wrist." Alex muttered, "And half drowned."

"What happened?" Wolf asked shocked,

"Triads, they caught me, turns out a fifteen year old can't fight off thirty two trained fighters. On the way to their base, they thought me dead so I wasn't cuffed, the van fell over the side of a bridge. I managed to get free in the confusion and made it to shore. That's when I fell into the coma." Alex replied frowning,

"Yeah, for two nail bighting weeks!" Ben added.

"Maybe you should stop answering back to the green berets, to stop any lasting damage." Snake finally managed to get out,

"I'll try, teenager and all, I can't help the sarcastic comments and the twisting of words, its a coping mechanism to being kidnapped." Alex replied,

"I love how you know what your coping mechanism it to being kidnapped." Wolf muttered shaking his head.

"It's happened one too many times." Alex sighed. The door banged open and three green berets reappeared, "Hey the blue beanies are back!" Eagle snorted at the comment as Wolf put his head in his hands,

"Why do I even bother." He muttered,

"Thought you may try to back chat, so we brought a present for you." One of the men stated,

"Oh, it's not chocolate I hope. Can't stomach that at the moment." Alex sighed. The second man pulled out a syringe, "That's not sedatives I hope."

"Tough luck. It is." Alex's eyes widened in fear as they injected him,

"No, I am already-" His eyes rolled back in his head and he drooped.

"Boss, that's not supposed to happen." The one holding him called,

"Idiots!" Snake hissed, "Jaguar, can you hear me." There was no response,

"What was the sedative?" Wolf hissed,

"Usual the doctor uses." The green berets were afraid of the murderous expression in his eyes,

"He was already sedated you morons! He was already on those sedatives, he's now in the overdose regions! He needs medical attention now!" Snake snapped,

"No. You can't leave." The boss growled, "Good acting, but no."

"I don't give a fuck about RTI training at the moment, he is in danger, do you really want his death on your hands?" Eagle exclaimed no usual teasing in his voice.

"Pulse dropping." Fox stated,

"Boss..." The two others were wavering, unlike their boss they had gone straight to the green berets, they had no quarrel with the SAS other than the fact they were better than them, their boss was binned during SAS selection. He held no love for any of them.

"It's too faint." Worry laced Fox's voice. The boss glanced at the pale recruit and Wolf took the opportunity to punch him. He dropped like a stone, Fox scooped up Alex and brushing past the other green berets they ran to the infirmary. There the night doctor took him out of the agents arms and rushed him into surgery after demanding what had happened. Then the waiting game began.

* * *

**Alex and Ben are going on a mission with SAS as backup, that much is clear. **

**What intelligence agency?**

**ASIS, MI6, CIA Etc, **

**What country? Russia, America, France,**

**Anyone anywhere. Please tell me!**


	7. Team solidarity - or rather lack of

**This chapter is dedicated to ****Puberbeer**** for very politely telling me my French is shit, and then sorting it out.**

**Only a short one, but ENJOY none the less.**

* * *

The Captain looked over the sorry looking group of recruits and fought back a sigh. They were all obviously exhausted, faces pale and pinched, weary lines covering their faces. This was only a quarter of them, he was waiting to test them on their shooting skills, half had already gone, one clear sharpshooter, others clearly medics.

"You go." He ordered pointing at yet another recruit, this one was tall, graceful and moved like a dancer. He also seemed familiar. The Captain waited until the target was in then froze. He had seen those groupings before,

"Wait." He snapped to the owner of the shots,

"Go." He told the next person, he then pulled out his walkie talkie, "K unit, is Jaguar on site, over?"

"_Yes, over._" Wolf's voice came through the machine,

"Send him to the firing range, stat, over." The connection broke off, a few minutes and three recruits later Jaguar and Fox appeared deep in discussion with Snake about something, Jaguar brightened when he saw the man the captain had put to one side,

"Cheetah, said you'd be back." They clapped each other on the back,

"And I'd said you'd complete this if it killed you." Cheetah laughed,

"How's the arm?" Jaguar asked,

"And the leg." Ben put in,

"And the ribs." Snake continued, Cheetah smiled ruefully,

"Good as new. Can't say the same for Hawk, still walks with a slight limp if he exerts his leg too much." Cheetah replied,

"What is this a bloody mothers meeting?!" Captain Reynolds exclaimed,

"No sir. What did you want sir?" Fox asked smoothly,

"I wanted to know if Jaguar taught Cheetah how to shoot like this." Reynolds gestured at the target, Fox whistled lowly,

"Almost as good as you Jag." He teased,

"Almost. That'd be a little too much of a graze to be on the safe side." Snake tapped the head shot, "And that would probably render them a cripple for the foreseeable future." He now tapped the leg wound,

"Is it good?" Reynolds asked,

"Yes, it'd get the job done. Jag's survived well enough." Snake confirmed,

"He also has the luck of the devil, remember that." Fox commented,

"You can say that again." Cheetah muttered,

"You're just sore because in the truck accident in the storm that made you drop out with three weeks to go last time Jag only got a few measly injuries." Fox laughed,

"Too right." Cheetah agreed,

"But those measly injuries, when medics aren't told about them, sometimes turn into bad ones. _Don't they Jaguar._" Snake hit him over the head,

"Ah, nice to see it wasn't just me who had issues with him." Cheetah commented, "See you around." The recruits left the firing range heading to the mess. Fox ruffled Jaguar's hair,

"Your little friend is back!" He teased,

"At least I have a friend!" Alex shot back,

"Touché."

"Is that the best you can do." Alex raised an eyebrow at the other spy amused,

"I have to agree Fox, that was shit." Wolf agreed arriving just as they entered the mess, "Even by Eagle standards that was shit."

"HEY!" Eagle cried out,

"You saying it's not true?" Ben taunted, Eagle pouted and stabbed his food with vigour, the rest laughed amused at his childlike actions. Alex's phone rang within seconds every SAS member was silence, the recruits falling silent in confusion, they had been told, and they had tested it, that signal could not be obtained here. Alex answered it, then three seconds later hung up,

"Three, two, one." Ben's phone rang right on Alex's countdown,

"Yes... yes... goodbye." Ben hung up and smirked at Alex, "One day they'll get grumpy at you hanging up on them every time." He commented,

"That is the general plan." Alex grinned,

"They won't fire you you're too good." Lynx sighed,

"What this time?" Wolf sounded resigned,

"Don't know. They're sending a car for us." Ben replied frowning,

"Bet it's black." Alex laughed,

"Bet it's a Mercedes." Eagle added,

"Who's sending a black Mercedes?" Parrot asked sitting down,

"Who do you think?" Jay sighed,

"'6. Again?" He glanced at Alex,

"And Fox too this time." Alex defended himself, he wasn't sure why but felt the need to.

"Great, the two top spies, what's going on; world domination?" Hare laughed, Ben grinned at Alex,

"How many of them have you stopped?" Anteater queried,

"Turkey." Alex replied,

"Istanbul." Ben continued,

"Australia."

"More so Indonesia." Ben corrected,

"Sorry. America."

"England."

"Brazil."

As Ben opened his mouth to add to the list Leopard stopped them,

"You have just broken the OSA in so many places I lost count. Shut up, you can't list countries without telling us what happened there." He told them.

"Sorry, classified." Ben and Alex grinned. Both unit leaders, Wolf and Bear, took it upon themselves to hit the two spies in the head,

"Jones didn't seem happy." Ben commented,

"Bet it's the French." Alex grinned, Ben shook his head,

"Russians." Then they both grinned,

"Australians." They exclaimed in unison,

"Don't you need to go?" Snake commented,

"Unfortunately." Ben muttered, a late recruit entered the mess,

"There's a car here for Fox and Jaguar sirs." He gasped out then sat with his 'friends',

"Lets go." Ben sighed,

"Call us if you need anything." Wolf smiled at them, the two spies nodded then left the mess, the recruits erupted into gossip,

"Christ, you'd think they were teenage girls." Lynx sighed,

"Let's go see them off. God knows when they'll be back." Jay announced,

"Yep." The three units stood leaving behind the only other full unit in confusion,

"Why do they all know who he is and we don't?" One of them murmured,

"Jag's the only one who got through selection last time round. We got to know him pretty well." Leopard called across,

"Only one." A worried voice carried across the hall from the recruit section.

"Yeah. Have fun." Wolf flashed them a grin then ducked out. The remaining unit collapsed laughing at the pure fear on the recruits faces.

"Hey, good luck." Wolf smiled slightly at the two spies, his unit members.

"Come back in one piece." Snake added giving them brief 'man hugs'.

"Don't die." Eagle mock sobbed hugging them,

"Eagle." Alex laughed then they slipped into the black Mercedes and left the camp.

"They had better come back in one piece or there'll be hell to pay." Wolf growled,

"They promised they will call if they need something." Snake placated him. The unit leader stalked off to their hut anger flowing off him in waves. Snake sighed as everyone looked at each other, "I'll go." He was always like this when the two spies left from here.

"See you in hell mate." Eagle clapped him on the back then vanished with the others,

"So much for team solidarity."

* * *

**Please review and put in a vote, last chance:**

**Russia, Nepal, America or France.**

**CIA, DGSE, NSA, MI6, Mossad or an accumulation of them all?**

**Also who wants Yassen to make an appearance?**


	8. MI6 CIA ASIS Crossagency deepcover agent

**ENJOY!**

* * *

"As you well know you two are part of the ASIS, CIA, MI6 cross agency, deep cover agents scheme, as well as being the two best agents. There is a mission that requires both of you and the other agencies respective best agents." Jones stated hands clasped on her desk, a peppermint in her mouth. Her deputy Etienne Sinclair was sat at Jones' old desk in the corner. This was the longest lasting deputy, he had been here three months. The rest had retired, quit or turned out to be traitors.

Ben and Alex both looked at the files on her desk then read through them as Jones spoke, she explained how, when the cross agency plan was founded four years ago, they had made a deal to be open about all missions up to clearance two. They had put everything on tiny Smithers made memory sticks and passed them over to their counterparts at the other agencies as a sign of good faith. Dotted around MI6's HQ were six memory sticks, two CIA, two ASIS and two MI6.

Someone had broken into the CIA and stolen one of each memory stick. They had found all six, but left them three of them behind. Alex and Ben frowned in unison when they heard this. Now the three intelligence agencies have blamed the Russians having identified one of the suspects of the robbery.

Their mission objective was simple, find and retrieve the memory sticks, and not die in the process. The trickier part was finding out where they were, then infiltrating the bases and getting the memory sticks. All still without dying.

"Any questions?" Jones asked unwrapping a peppermint,

"Who are we working with?" Alex asked closing the folder, "It doesn't say."

"One other agent-" She held up her hand to stop off the complaints, "You are two, Tamara Knight makes three, that is one per intelligence agency. We don't want to make them suspicious with too many agents going in."

"Why did you have to give a memory stick, why couldn't you just let them have access to the files when necessary?" Ben asked, Alex smiled at him,

"I'm rubbing off on you." The teen grinned, normally he was the one to question the methods. "And as for the answer well, Military Intelligence, don't you know; it's an oxymoron."

"That is true." Ben nodded thoughtfully, Alex grinned at Sinclair fighting a laugh,

"Dismissed. Smithers wants to see you both." Jones sighed. The two spies left the room and headed down to the basement,

"Alex! Good to see you old chap. How are you? How was SAS training? Did it myself once." He smiled at the memory, "Absolute hell."

"You did SAS training." Ben looked at the huge man,

"Well you see Ben, underneath every fat man is an Irish Athlete dying to get out." Alex smirked, Smithers laughed,

"Too right." He agreed in an Irish accent, Ben blinked then sat down deciding it was safer to forget that even occurred.

"Right, now here." He handed across two watches which both spies put on their wrists then Smithers retrieved a third,

"I will be giving you three of everything for Miss Knight, and some extras which you can't carry, as she is a girl, and some extras for you Alex as you are a child and bits and bobs for the only man." He smiled at Ben,

"You get bits and bobs." Alex teased,

"Shut up." Ben ruffled his hair as Alex rolled his eyes. Next Smithers demonstrated what the watches could do, there was a tracker permanently activated but undetectable, the 'usual' laser if you pressed the correct button, another tracker to lead you to the other watches, a lock picking set in the strap and of course it told the time, it even took into account geography and corrected the time differences for you.

Then there was the exploding gum for Alex, the exploding signet ring for Ben and an exploding ear ring for Tamara. Next came the metal eating spot cream, Ben had laughed when he saw that, the lock picking jewellery for Tamara and then came the weapon and clothes. They had bullet proof tops, thermals, jeans, normal trousers, jumpers, hats and coats. Then came the thermally insulated gloves.

"Going somewhere cold are we?" Alex joked,

"Well, I'm moving onto the summer range next, you may be going to Australia for a quick trip after this." He then proceeded to produce every summery item of clothing known to man, also bullet proof.

"You have the usual phones and new apps and your usual collection of music Alex, I wasn't sure about you Daniels, I'm sorry, you just have everything, as does Miss Knight." Smithers apologised,

"That's fine. What about weapons?" He asked, Smithers pulled out four guns,

"They are fingerprint sensitive to you three. After an unfortunate incident with a single fingerprint gun and no bullets left apart from in this one gun that no one could touch I made them multi responsive." Smithers fidgeted a little then became his bouncy self again. "That's all chaps pack everything in these suitcases and you're good to go." They packed then stood,

"Here are your tickets you fly to Novosibirsk then you have a rental car waiting to take you to Gorno-Altaysk where we have suspicions the memory sticks are. Miss Knight is will be waiting for you at her hotel, she flew in this morning and ordered Jones to let her sleep as opposed to briefing her here." Smithers announced,

"Hey, first class." Alex grinned,

"Of course." Smithers chuckled,

"I have the window seat. Saves me sitting between you two." Alex grinned and ducked as Ben tried to cuff him on the head,

"Now now boys, behave. Go you need to be off!" Smithers hurried them out the rooms with a hearty 'Do come back alive and _good luck_.'

"Why do I have the feeling we will need it." Alex muttered,

"God forbid your instincts tell us we're in trouble, that's going to be problematic..." Ben muttered remembering all the times Alex's instinct had noticed something before anyone else, Ben was gaining one as well, and he too agreed something didn't feel right.

* * *

"He's too young for all of this." Tamara sighed leaning on Ben and looking at Alex sleeping curled up by the window,

"Blackmail Tam. Heartless being's leading '6 and that is what is leads to." He sighed and watched the teen slowly breathe in and out,

"Blunt was a bastard." Tamara summarised looking at Ben, Alex woke silently and looked across fighting a smirk, Tamara was staring into Ben's eyes smiling faintly, Ben smiling faintly back, the elder male spy reached up to brush her hair back then noticed Alex smirking, and looking slightly revolted at the same time,

"Alex." He gasped, Tamara shot upright blushing furiously,

"Morning, please excuse me while I go throw up." He slipped out his seat leaving two bright red agents now furiously busying themselves with books and magazines, Tamara groaned when she saw Alex returning with a grin from ear to ear, as much as it pleased her to see him smile, he hadn't done that much since Jack and the Pleasures had died, she hated that is was teasing and aimed at her. She untangled her headphones and started watching a film, Ben following suit. Alex sat back and waited, soon enough both were asleep, very, very gently he put their hands together under the armrest and then returned to his seat.

When Alex next went to the bathroom four hours later he was happy to see that both spies, though now fully awake, still held each others hands, albeit still under the arm rest. Alex shook his head, they were worse than teenagers with crushes on each other.

* * *

The two figures were small but walked with a confidence that most adults fail to obtain in all their lives, one was younger than the other with black hair reflecting the moons light, they were deep in conversation in fast, fluent Russian, the older of the two was brunette with a scar running from one eye to his chin, down his neck then disappeared into his clothes. From the agent's spot on top of the roof of a nearby house he could tell they were departing, sure enough soon they were walking in different directions, the brunette slid into a car and the black hair man started walking home, in the shadows of a doorway a small boy crouched, waiting for the man to pass,

"Petya." The young boy hissed, the older one stopped a faint smile on his face then held out his arms, the young boy launched himself into them,

"You've been eating Tomas." Petya smiled and teased in Russian,

"Yes, I'm going to grow up to be a big boy like you! No longer living on the streets." Tomas grinned,

"Where do you want to go?" Petya asked ruffling his hair,

"Just town, then I can use the things you taught me and get me a place to sleep." Tomas announced,

"Lets go then." Petya carried the boy to the centre of the small town and put him on the ground,

"Thanks Petya." Tomas grinned then scampered off. Petya smiled ruefully then turned and headed home. He slipped into the apartment and collapsed on the bed,

"Hey Petya." A tall man with dark hair smiled across at him

"Hey Sergei. Good day?" Petya replied pulling out his iPod, they both scanned for bugs then grinned,

"You look exhausted Al," Ben Daniels commented, "When was the last time you slept?"

"I don't remember, I'm tailing another one tonight, Dim ordered it." Alex Rider frowned then rubbed his eyes.

"Go straight to the meeting point afterwards." Ben told him pushing him towards the bed.

"Yes mother." Alex teased exhaustion making the bed look nice and welcoming.

"Very funny. Sleep." Ben ruffled his hair then turned back to his book.

* * *

Wolf was frowning as he sat down in the mess,

"What's up?" Eagle asked sitting gently, he had fallen off the assault course and landed funny twisting his knee, it was mostly healed but he was still being gentle with it.

"Just thinking we haven't heard from-" He was cut off by his phone ringing, he sat up straighter when he saw the number was restricted, the mess fell silent, all those officially in the SAS looking at Wolf concerned, they all knew Fox and Jaguar had gone three weeks ago, it was usually about now they got a call they were in hospital, or needed back up.

"...No... Yes, we'll be ready... How many?... Yes ma'am, certainly." He hung up,

"So they're not in hospital?" Lynx checked,

"No." Wolf confirmed,

"Yet." Hare disguised this in a cough,

"Hey, we should give them some credit, last time only Fox ended up in the hospital. The two times before that only Jaguar." Eagle commented,

"Yes and six times ago both ended up in two weeks coma's." Snake raised an eyebrow,

"I said _some_ credit, not a lot." Eagle replied, "What'd they want?"

"Back up, apparently something is happening and they need more people." Wolf sighed,

"Cool, I'm in." Snake smiled, "Interesting to actually _do_ something." Lynx was looking at his unit members,

"We're in." He announced,

"How many unit's are needed?" Bear asked,

"As many as needed." Wolf ran a hand through his hair sighing,

"Then we're in too." Bear shrugged after checking with the others in his unit,

"We're-" L unit's leader was cut off.

"Oh no Curlew. You need to stay here and complete your refreshers course, don't want you missing the endurance hike." Wolf grinned fiendishly,

"Or the RTI training." Lynx agreed nodding seriously,

"Especially not the navigation exercise." Bear, the final unit leader finished off,

"And somebody's got to be here to remind the recruits that you can actually pass selection, despite what they make you think." Eagle finished with a wicked grin,

"Bastards." Curlew cursed them,

"Oh yes." Cheetah clapped their friend on his shoulder and stood, "When are we leaving?"

"Now." Wolf glanced at the time, "Long flight apparently." He added warning them ahead of time so they could grab books and cards for the journey.

* * *

Tamara Knight tugged her coat tighter against the harsh wind and hurried along looking like every other Russian hurrying home. She slipped into the apartment block, she headed to the lift and stepped inside, she pressed the plain button and waited for the retina scanner to appear. The camera in the lift performed a body scan and, recognising her as a friend, the retinal scanner appeared. Soon the lift moved, not up but down.

A few seconds later she emerged in a dimly lit corridor leading to a room where light conversation was flowing from, she entered stripping down the layers and raised her eyebrow at the nineteen men sitting there,

"X-Ray, Sparks, Scooter, Texas." She nodded to them, they grinned back,

"Hey Tamara." Scooter called,

"Who the hell are you?" She demanded,

"K, F and S units." Ben's voice spoke from behind her,

"Hey, where's Al?" She asked collapsing on the sofa, Ben next to her,

"Tailing someone," Ben sighed,

"Again, when's he sleeping?" Tamara glanced at him, "When are you sleeping?"

"Later. I have had more sleep than him, and besides you know him, are you seriously telling me that in your mission in Hungary-" Ben was cut off,

"Which you, of course, know nothing about." Tamara put in,

"Of course, he was solid through the entire thing then crashed on the plane?" Ben finished as though she hadn't spoken,

"No, but I didn't know if he was like that all the time." Tamara shrugged,

"Yep, seems to have an endless energy reserve on a mission, off one, he's like any other teenager." Ben shrugged, Wolf cleared his throat. "Sorry. Wolf, Snake, Eagle, Tamara." Ben went through and named them all. Then between both spies they explained what had happened,

Three days ago they had received word that there was going to be a large party including both major Russian companies that MI6 believed had the memory sticks, it was assumed a deal was going down so Alex, Ben and Tamara were going to search for the memory sticks and the SAS were there for back up. Both companies had their own private armies at their beck and call.

By the time they had finished explaining the lift was coming down again and then Alex appeared,

"Hey." He smiled at them then collapsed on the sofa with his head in Tamara's lap, without thinking he curled his legs up as the female spy started running her hand through his hair,

"That doesn't look like the Jaguar we know." Cheetah commented,

"I got more sleep going through selection." Alex replied tiredly,

"Where'd they go?" Ben asked ignoring the shocked looks from the SAS.

"Same place as the other three, your HQ Tam." Alex replied, the two spies frowned,

"That doesn't make sense." Ben sighed,

"More sleep through selection." Jay repeated,

"Yep," Ben replied when Alex didn't,

"You also don't look nearly as old as you do at BB." Lynx frowned,

"Oh no." Parrot sighed,

"What now?" Hare laughed,

"We all know and acknowledge that he is not legal correct?" Parrot stated, there were nods all around, "He doesn't even look 20 at the moment." Again nods all around the SAS, "Fox commented earlier that off missions he sleeps like any other teenager. Implying that he _is_ one."

"Wow. You're good." Anteater summarised looking at Alex,

"How old are you?" Jay asked,

"Classified." Tamara, Ben and k unit replied flatly,

"They're not doing the deal at the party." Alex suddenly said, everyone barr the two spies had believed him asleep and jumped, "They're having the meetings now because they are doing the deal now."

"The party is either a cover," Tamara caught onto the teens train of thought,

"Or it is a celebration of the deal going down." Ben frowned as logistics popped into his head.

"They sort out all the monetary and cost issues now and the memory sticks are passed over at the party, then the rest of the party is a celebration of each getting what they wanted." Alex summarised, then frowned, his expression matching Ben's, "It doesn't make sense."

"What doesn't? Makes sense to me." X-Ray replied, the rest of the SAS were nodding in agreement,

"Six memory sticks, three taken. We know they found all six. Why only take the three." He explained,

"OK, that doesn't make sense." Wolf grudgingly agreed. There was silence as they all mulled over the possibilities, then Alex broke it by saying something in Russian that caused the two spies sitting to blush slightly, as the conversation went on the blushes deepened and resulted in Ben hitting Alex over the head, at which the younger man stuck his out his tongue. The three SAS units unaware of the age of the youngest spy and the relations between the two male spies watched this confused, they noticed K unit didn't seem surprised, even less surprising was the answer when they asked what they knew;

"Classified."

* * *

**Please review and tell me any mistakes or what you thought... just felt like brining in the Aussie SAS and now plan to compare them to the british...**

**Would you be annoyed if I made Tamara and Ben a couple?**


	9. All I want for Christmas is - My parents

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"Alex," Scooter broke the silence that had fallen,

"Yep." The teen didn't move or open his eyes,

"About what happened..." Scooter trailed off,

"It's fine." Alex replied shrugging,

"No it's not, what we did..." X-Ray contradicted then faltered,

"You know each other?" Wolf asked,

"Yeah, after Ark angel I stayed with them for a bit." Alex replied,

"What happened?" Lynx asked,

"Which is better, being consistent, or not being consistent?" Alex asked seemingly randomly,

"Consistency." Eagle replied slowly,

"Then you treated me better than they did." Alex replied flatly, four SAS men gaped, then looked at the Aussie's.

"What did you do?" Eagle demanded, the Australian's suddenly found the floor, walls and ceiling highly interesting.

"Nothing much." Alex grinned slightly, the SAS and spies turned to the foreigners for the truth,

"Well..." Texas fidgeted under their intense gazes.

"Lets just say they owe me a barbecue on the beach _without _grenades." Alex laughed lightly,

"WHAT!" Thirteen voices exclaimed,

"They welcomed me at first, but then again I wasn't there to do training with them so knew I wasn't a permanent fixture so had no reason to hate me. ASIS wanted to test me, so they used them." Alex shrugged yet again,

"How are you so calm about that?" Snake demanded,

"Because I know how persuasive intelligence agencies can be." He still hadn't opened his eyes.

"They were all dropped with pinpoint accuracy so wouldn't hit him." Sparks defended them,

"Apart from the last one." Alex pointed out unhelpfully,

"That held no real punch, it wouldn't have done you any harm, it contained a sedative gas." Scooter stated, Alex opened an eye and looked at them,

"Could have fooled me." Alex muttered,

"What? As I designed it I know what was in it, it would have knocked you out, you would have woken back in your house in England having failed the test." Sparks told him,

"No it did-" Alex froze then sat up in the span of a few seconds, "Ash." He breathed,

"What? I thought he needed you." Ben sat forward,

"He'd already tried to kill me once when I was three months, what's to say he wouldn't try again, he was good at explosives." Alex stated,

"You weren't needed and he wanted to test you himself, if you were like your dad then you were of use to him and would survive, but if you weren't..." Ben trailed off anger brewing,

"I would never have met you, Jack would still be alive and I would be buried in Australia, or London if '6 or ASIS were kind enough." Alex finished,

"What a bastard." Ben summarised,

"Who's Ash?" Wolf demanded losing his patience,

"Anthony Sean Howell." Alex replied,

"What's he to you?" Jay asked, for once observant enough to see there was more to that story.

"Godfather, or _was_ my godfather. I think he lost that title a long time ago." Alex replied darkly, then disrupting the tense atmosphere that had arisen Alex's phone rang, he pulled it out and answered it then began speaking in amused, then serious, Russian.

"Santa?" Ben cocked an eyebrow when the conversation was over,

"It's a long story," Alex sighed,

"One I think I want to hear." Tamara raised an eyebrow expectantly,

"We were discussing Santa on the way to town, he wanted to know what I had asked for. In return I asked what he had asked for, it was the same thing I had when I was five, resultantly the reason I knew Santa Claus didn't actually exist." Alex frowned,

"What was it?" Eagle asked,

"How can one year stop you believing in Santa?" Parrot added,

"It didn't, I made a deal with Santa that as I was very good I would get this one thing in my stocking and nothing else, when that didn't work I agreed it was a little unbelievable so I rewrote my deal with Santa and changed it for two years being not naughty for one thing. I didn't get that either, therefore I realised Santa wasn't alive." Alex shrugged,

"What was it?" Eagle repeated,

"Which one?" Alex replied,

"Whichever one you want to tell me."

"I am indifferent to telling you either, so pick one of the two." Alex fought back a smile,

"The first year." He decided,

"The first year of what?" Alex frowned, "You need to specify."

"Jesus Jag, I can see why you have a field day with the green jackets." Lynx sighed interrupting at the circular conversation went on,

"They nearly killed me last time." Alex sighed,

"How?!" Bear demanded,

"By being morons." Ben replied for Alex,

"They nabbed him out the infirmary, where he was hooked up to an IV drip, with sedatives in it, then drugged him again moving him into overdose region and therefore danger zone." Snake summarised what had happened,

"It much be risky enough using our sedatives on him anyway, I mean I know he is muscled and strong but he's smaller and slighter than the rest of us. Those drugs are designed for us." Hare frowned,

"So what did he ask for in his stocking?" Eagle asked, back to the original question,

"Who? Tomas?" Alex asked,

"Who's Tomas?" Wolf sighed,

"The five year old boy I was talking to just now," Alex replied,

"Where the f- on earth did a five year old get a phone?" Anteater asked checking his language due to knowing that Jaguar was not as old as he said he was.

"On a phone he pick pocketed." Alex replied grinning at the change in language.

"What did he tell you?" Tamara laughed, Alex explained in lengthy Russian to the pair whose frowns deepened with each word, Leopard cleared his throat,

"English." He ordered,

"The big party is taking place in Chemal." Alex translated, "It's a small town near here, apparently it's in the restaurant under the dam, the whole thing is rented out so if we really want we can bungee off the dam."

"Your version was a lot longer." Jay raised an eyebrow,

"I summarised it with you, and you would use different parts of what he said differently." Alex stated,

"Like?" Boar pressed, Alex sighed,

"The names of who is going to be there." Tamara stated,

"The relationships of those arriving," Ben added,

"And the verbatim version of the conversation I just had." Alex finished, the SAS nodded,

"Yeah, I can see that." X-Ray agreed reluctantly.

Alex curled back up on the sofa shutting his eyes, one and a half hours later when they had to leave Tamara ruffled his hair,

"Come on." There was a non committal mutter in response,

"Teenagers these days." Leopards sighed,

"Yep." Eagle agreed, Leopard shot up off the seat and punched the air,

"See! I should be doing espionage! He is a teenager!" Leopard crowed,

"Doesn't mean I'm getting up." Alex grumbled,

"You know at the hotel there is a nice double bed with feather duvets and lovely pillows..." Ben tried,

"Nope." Alex mumbled,

"I can force feed you some of Smithers party rings..." Ben threatened,

"I'm up." Alex sat up while Ben laughed,

"I'd feed them to you in response." Alex shot back, he stopped laughing.

"What are they?" Tamara laughed,

"They have a sedative in them, great for tea parties." Ben stated with a grin. They said their goodbyes and left in two groups, Tamara then Alex and Ben.

"Petya." Ben asked when they reached the rooms, "What did you ask for for Christmas?" Alex frowned, sadness pulling at his lips,

_Five year old Alex bounced out of bed and ran downstairs, it was Christmas day, he searched the entire house his cousin following amused. When he saw the overflowing stocking he stopped dead,_

"_No." He cried,_

"_What is it? Aren't you going to open your presents?" His cousin asked,_

"_But I was so good. There's no such thing as Santa." He sat on the floor tears flowing,_

"_What makes you say that sweetheart?" The teen pulled the child onto her lap and held him,_

"_He's not here. Ian's not here." He managed to get out. He didn't care that crying was childish all he wanted was Ian. He had asked for his parents last year but hadn't got them but Ian was more believable, he had only said goodbye a week ago. "I asked Santa to have Ian home for Christmas and I was good for two years! But he's not here, Santa isn't real."_

_With that revelation Alex's cousin didn't know what to do. She simply picked him up and held him until the tears had passed, gradually he fell back into a fitful sleep in her arms and she pulled out her phone,_

"_Mum. Sorry to interrupt church but we have an issue. Alex realised Santa isn't real... I know he's too young to think that but it's because of what he asked for... Is there anyway we can contact Ian? Get him here for this evening?" She asked, then frowned at the response, "I feared that... OK see you in a few." She hung up, a few minutes later her parents and little twin brothers burst in the door 'Merry Christmas' on their lips but then they saw Alex was sleeping,_

"_So he really doesn't believe any more?" Her dad checked,_

"_From what I gathered from mumbles he asked for his parents last year but agreed that that would be unrealistic so asked for Ian to he here this Christmas in return for two years of being good." She ran a hand through his blonde hair calming him,_

"_I'll call. See what I can do." Her mum stated, "My stupid little brother shouldn't be doing this." She wiped away her tears and headed for the phone._

"_James." The cousin said to her brother,_

"_Yes Amy?"_

"_Can you go get his toy, the dinosaur?" She asked,_

"_Yes." The two of them ran off then returned a few minutes later with a green and red dinosaur, Amy slipped it into his grasp and he unconsciously wrapped his arms around it his thumb slipping into his mouth, _

"_Poor thing." _

"Alex?" Ben was asking the question again,

"Ian. I wanted Ian home for Christmas the second year." He stated,

"And the first?"

"My parents."

* * *

**Before anyone says that that last bit about wanting parents in your stocking is not believable I would like to say it is. I ran around the house shouting about being good for a year but not finding my mum hidden anywhere. My dad hadn't cried that much since her funeral and to this day I feel bad about that. I was 5 I didn't know.**

**OK, Please review and tell me what you are thinking!**


	10. Petya Alex Jag and a mysterious assasin

**Don't hate me, just enjoy...**

* * *

The black haired youth stood at the side next to his 'brother', both were watching the party progress the only opinion in the older one's eyes. He was disconcerted,

"Something's up." He muttered,

"Shut up. Be back in a moment." The youth vanished, a few minutes later he returned with a woman,

"Sergei, I have just met this lovely woman, Natasha." Petya smiled,

"Call me Tasha." The woman smiled,

"Would you like to dance?" Sergei smiled and took her hand then they made their way to the dance floor.

Alex watched them go then slipped outside, he jogged into the trees and saw the SAS waiting,

"What's up?" Wolf demanded,

"Bored. And confused." Alex frowned,

"About the memory sticks?" Snake guessed,

"Yes, it doesn't make sense, I asked Smithers to recheck them but..." He groaned,

"Petya." There was a quiet whisper, within seconds every SAS man had a gun pointed at a small patch of trees,

"Tomas, what are you doing here?" Alex asked in Russian, a small figure launched himself at Alex who swung him up into his arms, "You should be in bed." He scolded,

"And you should be Russian." Tom added in broken English,

"Looks like we're both in the wrong." Alex grinned,

"Jag...?" Cheetah trailed off waiting for an explanation,

"Tomas, the boy who was on the phone." Alex explained,

"_Petya, the deal is being finalised."_ Ben's voice came through the ear bud from Smithers in Alex's ear.

"Tomas, could you do something for me?" Alex asked back in Russian, the young boy nodded fervently, "Could you stay here and watch over these men for me?" He smiled slightly knowing if he asked the boy to stay behind the answer would be 'no'. Even so he seemed to be contemplating it, then a nod,

"If I must." He muttered Alex ruffled his hair and set him on the ground,

"See you later." Alex headed back to the party, the SAS as one looked at the boy who was frowning at the retreating form of Alex in shock,

"What are we supposed to do with a child?!" Eagle squeaked,

"Keep him safe, neither Fox or Jaguar will forgive us if we don't." Wolf replied,

* * *

Alex stood next to Ben who had his arm around Tamara, also known as Tasha, watching the deal progress, a briefcase full of cash changed hands at the same time as the memory stick, the new money owners smiled then returned to their side of the dance floor,

"Sergei, I don't trust them." Alex sighed,

"Neither do I, the memory sticks don't add up." Tamara murmured,

"_Maybe they realised the data was duplicated so left it for convenience?"_ Snake cut in,

"No." All three spies snapped in unison,

"They would have taken them old and sold them to to different companies under the pretence of only having-" Sergei broke off as he was hit in the stomach,

"Shit. Shit shit shit shit shit shit _shit_." Alex cursed eyes wide, pale faced,

"What?" Ben gasped out at the same time as every SAS member demanded it over comms.

"They have both. They _do_." He breathed,

"_Don't be an id-_" Jay was cut off,

"Shit." Flowed out of the three spies mouths in unison,

"You're right, who pays a briefcase full of cash for something only to destroy it." Ben was in shock,

"They were double crossed." Alex concluded,

"Cuba." Both male spies breathed.

"Ben." Alex stated,

"With you Al." They parted Ben grabbing Tamara's hand, Alex rushed to the fire alarm and broke the case with his elbow, he pulled down the lever and sirens blazed, he ignored the voices in his ear demanding to know what was going on and watched as Ben told the people to make an orderly exit, Tamara leading them to the exits. They congregated on the area outside and seconds later the building exploded.

Chaos reigned and people stampeded into the trees running to cars to take them home.

"YOU!" Tamara's 'boss' came over and glared at Alex, "Jonathan Rider." He hissed, Alex froze,

"I am sorry, my name is Petya Grazinsky," Alex frowned,

"He works for MI6!" The boss exclaimed,

"They're on comms!" Alex and Ben's boss exclaimed coming to see what the commotion was about,

"They're all together! Get them!" Both bosses exclaimed in unison, the three split and sprinted away as heading towards the SAS protection area, Ben felt more than heard bullets hit the ground around him but kept running, he saw out the corner of his eye the SAS emerging from the trees, firing as they went, he saw Tamara sprint towards a building and followed, they crouched in the ruins from the blast and watched,

"Too many are falling, too many of them." Tamara murmured, it was true, the Russians were falling like flies, Ben's gaze scanned the area, then he froze and a smile spread. On the one remaining building he had caught a glint of a scope.

"We have a sniper on our side." He grinned, "You're hurt." He saw blood slowly making its way down Tamara's arm,

"It's nothing, you have been hit as well." She nodded to the similar injury on his arm,

"Alex." Ben breathed, he caught a flash of dark hair and a familiar stance,

"We have to help him!" Tamara exclaimed, as they watched the three men fighting Alex dropped to the ground dead. Not by Alex's hand. He inclined his head and raised a hand at the sniper on the roof, Ben saw the sniper raise one back. Then he was back in the fight.

"Lets go." Ben announced, Tamara nodded and went to stand but Ben pulled her back, he kissed her lightly, "For luck." A smile spread across her face and a light entered her eyes,

"Well then, we had both better stay safe." She teased, then they were gone.

"Where's Jaguar?" Snake called as he neared Ben fighting a Russian,

"By the edge of the dam." Ben called back, he glanced across and saw the teen winning a fight, Ben rendered the man unconscious and then ran across to help Alex, a man stepped in his path as he saw Alex fall to one knee as the fight became six on one,

"ALEX!" Ben heard a shout, he saw Tamara run towards the dam but was stopped and drawn back into the fight, Ben rendered his opponent unconscious and then faced the decision; Alex to Tamara.

The decision was instant and would remain the same until he died. Alex.

He jumped into the fight, evening the playing field, they were down to one man when there was a shout,

"Fox!" It was Wolf, he was loosing a fight,

"Go." Alex ordered,

"You'd better stay alive." Ben warned then ran off, bullets still ringing around him, he ran up behind one of the men his old unit leader was fighting and simply kicked him between the legs, with force. He buckled and dropped to the ground groaning, using it as a distraction the two SAS men rendered the other unconscious.

"Where did you learn that?" Wolf laughed seeing the fight was ending,

"Alex, he calls it the squirrel move." Ben smiled slightly, Wolf cocked an eyebrow expectant, "You go for the nuts." Ben shrugged, then winced. Wolf simply roared with laughter, then it stopped suddenly, Ben had seen what Wolf had seconds earlier, it was an instinct he had picked up from time with Alex,

Ben had turned around just in time to see Alex's opponent, who was on the ground, draw a gun and fire a shot, Alex's hand flew to his side and he stumbled, almost in slow motion he fell back over the edge of the dam.

"ALEX!"

"JAGUAR!"

"Petya?!"

* * *

**Please review, express how much you hate me, don't bottle it up ;P**


	11. Why were we even worried about him?

**Holy crap I hate January exams. That is the sole reason this has taken me so long and is so short. Sorry.**

**Right rant over now ENJOY!**

* * *

Every SAS man, both spies and a five year old boy froze in horror.

"What?" MI6 had decided to arrive on scene,

"What's up with them?" A clear up team member whispered,

"Don't know, ignore them." The first replied,

These words knocked the men back into action,

"F and S to the top of the dam- what?" Wolf glared at the boy who was trying to get their attention, he didn't flinch from the glare, Wolf grudgingly acknowledged this, Tomas said a word in Russian, confusion covered the two Russian speakers faces, he little boy said more using hand gestures as well, comprehension dawned on Ben's face,

"Fox?" Snake asked,

"Bungee." He breathed, "You can bungee off the damn." Then he vanished Tamara following,

"K with me, rest to dam." Wolf barked, they parted,

Ben reached the base of the dam first and saw two figures in the middle, he rushed over and crouched next to the boy on the ground,

"Hey Ben." He gasped out sitting up, the other man pushed him down again,

"Moron." Ben gathered him up in a hug,

"I know." Alex gasped, "Can't- Breathe- Ben." He choked out,

"Sorry." He loosened his hold by a millimetre. K unit and Tamara let them have the moment alone then approached,

"How do you feel?" Snake asked ever the medic,

"Like a fell of a dam so dandy really, you?" He asked back snarkily,

"Why were we even worried about him?" Wolf groaned,

"PETYA!" A small figure launched himself at Alex knocking him over when he had just managed to get onto his feet, he landed on his back winding him, the second figure who had been at the base of the dam when Ben arrived chuckled, only Alex and Ben heard and glanced at him, the others followed their gaze as they helped Alex back up,

"Could you give us a moment?" Ben murmured to his old unit, they nodded and left taking Tamara and a reluctant Tomas with them.

"Thank you." Ben started out,

"My pleasure, anything to keep little Alex alive." The assassin smirked,

"That must be quite a task," Ben chuckled lowly,

"You have no idea Mr Daniels." Yassen smirked slightly,

"Jag! I need to check you out!" Snake called,

"One moment." Alex excused himself and limped over to the medic,

"Daniels, I like you, and don't want to see you come to any harm so listen closely." The pale skinned man said urgently,

"What?" Ben queried,

"I don't know why little Alex trusts you, but he does. Don't make him regret that, or you will have me to answer to." His threat was blatantly obvious but voice was in the same tone as that of a man discussing the weather.

"I don't know why he trusts me either, but whatever caused it it took me a long time to gain it and I swear I will never break that trust knowingly." Ben swore,

"I am glad." Yassen nodded,

"Fox!" Wolf called,

"See you around." Ben nodded back,

"Little Alex!" Yassen called, he looked over, "Dasvidaniya." He raised a hand in their usual greeting,

"Dasvidaniya." Alex replied struggling to raise and hand due to the five year old in his hand,

"Thank you for saving Petya, or Alex!" Tomas shouted in Russian, the Russian man inclined his head amused,

"My pleasure little one." Yassen replied in Russian then vanished.

"Right..." Snake shook his head as if to clear it, "Jag, hospital, now."

"But-"

"No buts! You have been shot in the leg and fell off a fucking DAM!" Snake yelled,

"OK." Alex knew better than to argue with a medical Snake.

"Those who need the hospital go, the rest of us will... Deal with _them._" Wolf decreed, no one had a doubt about the fact 'them' was the MI6 operatives.

* * *

Three hours later they were sitting in an airport hanger Alex still put out from the fact he needed crutches and Ben and Tamara teasing him mercilessly for it.

Out of the fifteen SAS members and three spies only seven had been injured, mainly thanks to the sniper on the roof, and none of them critically, there had been four scrapes, two through and through then Alex's shot to the lower leg, he had luckily got away with only a grazed bone and the doctor had discharged him after he had refused an IV drip and had walked without crutches to the shower.

"Alex." Tomas, now informed on 'Petya's' real name was sitting on his lap curled up to Alex's chest.

"Yes?"

"Will I have to stay behind?" He asked, Ben and Tamara glanced at him curious,

"No, I made a call in the hospital to a Russian friend of mine, his mum has been looking for a child to adopt and they will be more than happy to have you if you want?" Alex told him running a hand through his hair, a look of awe came over his face, then he threw his arms around the teens neck and hugged him tightly,

"Tomas, I can't breathe." He gasped out,

"Sorry." He let go like he had been shot, "Will I still see you?" He asked jumping up and down,

"Of course, they are good friends of mine. I went on holiday with them last Easter." Alex replied,

"Oh, Paul and Annie." Ben and Tamara realised,

"Thank you!" Tomas kept repeating it until Alex laughed,

"Our flight is here." He announced,

"Let's go." Tomas announced, the spies laughed and the SAS looked over confused,

"I can't wait to reach a country where they speak a language I can." Snake muttered, the SAS agreed, Alex hopped to the plane then struggled up the stairs,

"Private plane like this... I need to work with MISO more often." Wolf whistled appreciatively,

"Wait, this is..." Tamara looked around as they dumped their stuff in the sofa area,

"That means..." Ben was catching on,

"MINE!" Alex exclaimed speed hopping to the back of the plane,

"Oh I don't think so." Ben rushed after him grabbing him around the waist, Tamara slipped past but then Alex grabbed her, the SAS watched on slightly alarmed at this response,

"What's down the end of the plane?" Leopard murmured,

"No idea." Eagle replied bemused. As they watched the three landed in a pile, something that had obviously happened before as Alex's bandaged leg was carefully avoided, then Tamara wriggled out and stopped dead in the doorway, Alex, grinning widely, slipped past and collapsed on the doubled bed next to a grinning Tomas,

"You little-" Tamara broke off remembering the ages of those she was talking to.

"Scoot." Ben pushed the pair over then lay down, "There's space Tam." The CIA agent shut the door then turned the lights off,

"TAMARA!" Three voices complained, she laughed then turned them back on glancing at the suitcases on the floor, she knelt and opened one pulling out four large tops and three pairs of pyjama trousers, Alex caught the clothes he was thrown and turned to Tomas.

"Arms up." The young child complied, Alex tugged his top off and then pulled the clean one on, while his arms were still up Alex tickled his sides, the young boy shrieked and wriggled,

"STOP IT!" He gasped out,

"Magic word..." Alex prompted,

"Please." Alex stopped, he had just changed himself when he felt someone poke him,

"What?" He asked,

"What are they doing?" The Russian whispered looking faintly disgusted, he pointed over to the corner, Alex cleared his throat pointedly then pointed at himself and Tomas, the two elder spies blushed furiously,

"I am not sharing a bed with you two." He decreed,

"Though luck kiddo." Tamara announced amused, still bright red. She smiled as the two boys slipped between the covers and Tomas snuggled up next to Alex, she went to join them but Ben caught her arm,

"If this goes anywhere, and I really really hope it does, I need for you to understand that, and this has nothing to do with you, but Alex will always come first." Ben struggled to make his sentence coherent,

"Benjamin Andrew." Tamara laid a hand on his cheek, "I would be ashamed of you if it was any different." She kissed him lightly, "And I want this to go somewhere too."

* * *

"Hey, it's very quiet in there, you think they died?" Lynx asked looking at the end of the plane confused, Snake stood from where he had been playing cards and talking quietly and headed to the door, he opened it then shut it quietly,

"They're fine." He smiled fondly, "But if you wake any of them you'll have not only them but me to answer to as well." The threat was in a joking manner but none of the SAS doubted that Snake would do some medical injury to them if they woke any of the four fast asleep in the bedroom.

* * *

**Please cheer me up in the middle of my exams and review! **

**I am contemplating an Alex Rider / Cherub crossover, what do you think?**


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